The Crappy TYOOT
by storm-brain
Summary: Old TYOOT. Read at your own risk. Revised version is up. For the person that doesn't understand what that meant, it means that "There is a story called "The Years of our Titans" on my story list for you to click."
1. Chapter 1

**this is mostly just a prolouge. I think it will be the only one like this. Be warned- this is not going to be happy.**

**O-o**

Dear Thalia

I don't know why the heck I am doing this. It is likely I will see you before the next full moon. It might say in the history books 'Eden Emmerson, lieutenant hunter and leader of the resistance was found to be a little crazy, and wrote letters to her dead best friend.'

Or else it will say 'Emmerson wrote in her diary…..' and this is not a freaking diary. It is a burst of insanity. OK? And if I am unlucky I will tell you all this in person very, very soon. 

You probably want to know what is happening now, or else you don't and will suffer while I am reading this. We are living in the Satyr's sanctuary in Seattle, Washington. I wanted Venice, Italy, and your dear (sarcasm doesn't go over too well in writing, but that is what it was) brother Jason voted for Denver, Colorado. We settled on here. Then he wanted Mount Rainier. Screw him. 

Laurel died just ten minutes after you. We were trying to hide your body when Medusa jumped out at us. Thank god for your shield, Thal, or I would have been toast. She was toast. I saw Medusa's reflection, and Laurel's statue is now guarding you. A statue of a grief filled hunter- that is just plain freaking wrong- to be hiding a body and… fuck her. Medusa- not Laurel. Arianna was really torn up about it. You know how close they were. And Jessica, I don't know what happened. We found her body. And I had to freaking watch as Artemis was carried away in a bust-up proof cage with electric wires. She slid me the lieutenant band through the bars. It is so heavy. Not literally. How did you and Zoë do it for so long? 

We have a fort in WA DC. And here. And we are trying to spread out and recruit. Kronos and Atlas know we are alive, but not where. Gods forbid- but they cant do squat where they are. Holding up the fucking sky. Oops. Potty hand .

If Artemis were here she probably would have given me a disapproving glance for saying that. Jessica would no doubt have used it as blackmail. Laurel would likely have laughed. You would have ignored me. But I'll never know for sure because none of you are here. And never will be. Except Artemis, possibly. Nothing lasts forever.

I don't think I can do this. I have to swallow my emotions- and, well, it is not easy. I have to hold the face on TV, the one everyone else sees. I don't know if I can manage. 

You think I would have be now. It has been a year. A year since Artemis was hauled away in a cage, a year since you died, a year since Laurel was turned to freaking stone by a freaking snake haired freak. 

I hope you and Zoë and Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson and Grover Underwood are having a dandy old time in Elysium, because titans know that we aren't here. 

And I should destroy this letter least it fall into Titan hands. Then the history books can say 'Emmerson brought doom to her cause by giving out key information to her dead best friend.' Ha ha. Not. 

Untill we meet again

Eden. 

p.s. three is the unlucky number. Compared to what happened then, thirteen is a freaking wishing star.


	2. Chapter 2

**BookWormBandGeek - **: ) thank you.

**Monster345 - **I know- these characters are completly different from those in the other stories. I recycled a few names, but remember this takes place several hundered years later.

**Bubblegum11 - **I was on vacation. I am still on vacation, we just have a wi-fi connection.

O-o

"We are going nowhere until we get more freaking recruits, and train the ones we have. Are you saying we should storm Mount Othros with two thousand, barely trained fighters? If are, you are dumber than I ever imagined." Eden glared at her half brother Peter across the long wood table. "We also should get the Helm of Darkness, Aegis, the Master bolt, Cupids Bow…"

"Why the hell do we need Cupids bow?" Peter snorted, drumming his fingers impatiently.

"Never underestimate the power of love."

"Coming from a hunter?" Peter smirked a smirk that said you-are-never-going-to-forget-this.

"Oh come on." Eden shook her head in disgust. "Shoot the right Titan General, and they're screwed. Unless they…"

"Have a sick kind of love that involves prostitution, or it goes the other way. But you are right about the other things, Eden. We have no hope of winning without those key objects." General Gäldstrup cut in, shooting the two children of Poseidon a warning look.

"And their owners." Ferd, the satyr muttered under his breath. Eden nodded in agreement.

"No duh. That too." The Council of the Resistance was quiet for a moment.

"I was thinking- maybe we should try the slave auctions and executions." Eden said slowly. "They are the people/satyrs that the Titans have most abused, and might be more willing to fight for our cause." There was a murmur of assent.

"All in favor? Mr. Underwood- what say you?" The Secretary Tom looked at the Satyr. Ferd chewed a poker card in thought.

"Well, it could work. We would need to have a back up crew, and extract an oath on the river Styx. But other than that, it could well work. That was a yes, by the way."

"Mrs. Ulomia?" Julie frowned, hand on her pregnant belly. Her eyes were gazing unfocused at the flag on the wall- an O made up of all the gods symbols of power. The flag of the Rebels. Julie's eyes snapped to focus as her name was called.

"I agree with Ferd. It is a risky bet, but might pay off."

Tom nodded and made two tally marks on his sheet. "Adam?" the son of Apollo frowned.

"I don't know. It could result in extreme failure- They have good security in these places. And there could be trackers in the slaves... With all due respect, Emmerson, I think that this proposal has disaster written in big red calligraphy."

"But, being dyslexic, we can't read the big red calligraphy and so will press on to victory." Eden said snidely. "Arrow dynamically, it is impossible for the bumble bee to fly, but no one has told the bumble bee this so it flies anyway. Or something like that- I forgot." Adam blushed, but held her gaze. Something that was hard to do, for she had inherited her grandmother's icy grey eyes.

"Adam makes a good point, though."General Gäldstrup pointed out.

"We can test them and stuff." The weapons master, Rissa, (that's pronounced **re-suh**) daughter of Ares pointed out, waving a bug-sensor prod.

Tom looked at his notes. "Mr. Johnson?"

Peter raised his hands in surrender. "I'm with Eden."

"For once." Eden said under her breath, and he grinned.

"And of course, General Gäldstrup." Tom looked up.

"I think there is almost an equal opportunity of failure and success. I believe that we can succeed if we check things out carefully. We need recruits badly, though some of these people could be all-out criminals, to Titans and Gods alike. We should be careful, and look into who is being executed. Slaves are normal people, and they might be more or less likely to take up arms, depending on how you look at it.

"Oh, and Farmer Bennetison and his family should be led here tomorrow night because the Titans are getting suspicious. Eden, that's your job."

"I still don't have a vote." Tom said irritably.

"The vote… is yes." Gäldstrup said slowly. "But I don't want Eden to go."

"WHAT? No way I'm gonna-" Eden spluttered,

Gäldstrup raised his hand. "Hear me out, Eden. This morning they upped your price- who ever catches you can have whatever they want. As long as it doesn't threaten the Titan's power. You know how many people would kill for that chance? Whoever gets it will have killed for it. Anything. The titans could give them wings, or make them live forever. And doing a small stunt like this is no reason to threaten your freedom! We're sunk when you die. You hear me?" Eden had never seen him so angry.

"It is not a freaking stunt! We need these people. And I can take care of myself, General." the diagonal scar on Eden's forehead turned red, as it did when she was mad.

"I am concerned for your safety." The generals eyes narrowed. "And-"

"My safety? You're not my fucking dad, Greg. And our safety is threatened every fucking second! We are safe _dead."_

"Wow, swear a lot?" Peter muttered, "A hunter saying a word that means-" there was a bang and a flash of white light. Peter was thrown off his chair and across the room. Eden paled.

"Sorry- I didn't mean to-" Eden's body was outlined in an icy white light that was slowly fading. She shot Gäldstrup an icy glare. "And what if you need someone to randomly blow something up- sort of on accident?"

The General stared at her a moment, and some understanding passed between them. He nodded. "Whatever."

"Motion passed." Said Tom in an awed voice.

Adam groaned, and Peter smacked him.

"Now." Said Gäldstrup, looking at his maps, "To start with…"

O-o

The second the meeting broke up, the General rounded on Eden.

"Are you insane?" He demanded, as the last… being, Ferd, left the room.

Eden met his gaze. "Yes." He shook his head in disgust.

"Do you know what will happen to you?" He didn't wait for an answer. "If scaring you into talking doesn't work, they will torture you, then rape you and -"

"That's redundant." Eden cut in, and he rolled his eyes. "And they won't."

He raised an eyebrow. "Eden, they would. You're very pretty and they-"

"Is that a compliment or a liability? Anyway, like I said, they won't." She turned away from him for a moment, sliding her hand up her shirt and removing something from her bra. She looked at him, and held out two white pills. "They won't get a chance." She slung her quiver over her shoulder and departed. "Have a nice day"


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter is not a really important one- it is more to show what people go through each day, the time period, the feelings of leaving home forever, etc.,. I did it from the POV of a boy who never read the papers for fun. **

**Disclaimer: **Almost all of this is mine. Most of the characters, plot, etc., Any refrences to the books, characters in the book, and- wait for it- NOT MINE. no duh. If you copy _my_ stuff I will... send you a mad PM.

_"Is that a compliment or a liability? Anyway, like I said, they won't." She turned away from him for a moment, sliding her hand up her shirt and removing something from her bra. She looked at him, and held out two white pills. "They won't get a chance." She slung her quiver over her shoulder and departed. "Have a nice day"_

O-o

Derek skidded to a stop on his skate board, laughing.

"That was a record!"

"No. I think I beat you by… .01 milliseconds." His friend Parslow consulted his stop watch then checked the score sheet. "On February 2, in the Year of our Titans, 3001, I made 4.087."

"You could just say yesterday." Derek muttered.

"Uh-huh. Jeez. With that record I could be the next Tony Hawk!" Parslow gazed dreamily into space,.

"And who the heck is Tony Hawk?"

"You don't know Tony Hawk?" Parslow raised his eyebrows, and Derek flicked him off.

"You know recent history is my worst subject, Mr. Brain."

"Tony hawk was this skateboarder from the 21st century. Or maybe the 20th. I don't remember…"

Derek whistled, impressed. "They had skateboards in the 20th century?"

"No duh." Laughed Parslow. "The gods must have taken pity on them." More pity then The Titans have taken on us, anyway. He mouthed, and Derek shrugged. His best friend was more up on current politics then he was. He wondered if he could get a color-dart to leave trails of colored smoke behind his board. He opened his mouth to express his idea when the curfew whistle rang, right by his ear.

He jumped. He might have been imagining it, but it seemed there were more guards on his street then there used to be, watching him carefully to see if he comitted the acts of dissing the titans, staying out after curfew, offering expensive sacrafice, paying the outragious taxes, et cetera.

"Oh, and they even had farmers here, in eastern Washington when there was the American Revolution. Well, not in Eastern Washington- it didn't exist. But there were farmers! Your family profession has gone way back, D." Parslow added as he hurried to his house across the street.

O-o

He trundled into his house, stomach rumbling. The Titans made you go home at 6:00- and stay there. If you were caught out after curfew… well, it wasn't pretty.

The smell of steak wafted into the kitchen. Awsome. They almost never had steak- it was extremely expensive. Kronos hogged it, he thought, but wasn't sure. He didn't keep track of this stuff like eeryone else.His sister Bailey was setting the table, and she grinned as he entered.

Steak, she mouthed, and he gave her the thumbs up.

His dad trudged into the room, looking annoyed. He walked into the kitchen and the door slammed behind him.

"Can't find the hunting knife…" They heard him say, and Bailey raised her eyebrows.

"Hunting knife?"

Derek shrugged. "Maybe he wants go to hunting."

O-o

"Lets all stay a moment. We need to talk." Said his father after they finished eating. There was dead silence, and the happiness that came from eating his first steak in three months lessend.

"Yes?" Bailey asked. She was only one year younger than him- 13, and could pick up on subtle clues. Derek's mind raced. Was his mom pregnant? Were they moving? What was-

"You might have noticed that there are more guards outside lately." Their mother started to explain, and Derek's sense of dread deepened.

"That's because… well…" She looked at her husband for help.

He seemed at a loss for words. "I have been… supplying the resistance with food." He said slowly, and Derek's eyes widened. He had known that there were rebels afoot, and he rooted for them in his heart, but to him they were a someone else. Something, some people, that would never affect his life. Now he learned that his father was working with them. It didn't seem real. Was this just a joke? Did he want them to get arrested?

Similar thoughts seemed to go through Bailey. She sent him a glance that was nothing but shock and ruined pleasure.

"And the T-I-T-A-N-S…" There was another pause. Their father dared not say their name because they might pick it up. "Are getting suspicious of us. And that's why…" He looked disparately at his wife. Derek swallowed. Were they fighting? Were his parents going to jail? Would they be –oh my titans- executed?

"We are leaving. We are leaving here in three hours. To go join the resistance full time." His mother supplied.

Please let it be an early April fools joke. May it- but the looks on his parent's faces was serious. More serious then they had ever been, even when his mom's dad died.

Derek's eyes filled with tears, though he tried to hide it. They were leaving. He would be trained as a soldier. He thought of his dream of being a skate boarder, and having colored smoke. He was fourteen. He should be allowed to have dreams, shouldn't he?

"You said…" Bailey wiped tears from her eyes, and their mother put her arms around her. "You said you loved us more then the world- and now you are taking us off to be- to be- soldiers? So much for my dream of living till I was 25." Then she broke down, placing her hands on the table and sobbing into them.

"Right." Said their dad softly. He handed them each a backpack. "You should pack, though. Don't take too much- bring money, though, if you have any."

O-o

Three hours later Derek stood in the den, looking around. He might never see this place again. Ever. He might never see Parslow again. Ever.

Parslow… what would he think? What would anyone think? He squeezed his backpack tightly. This was not real- this stuff always happened to someone else.

Then there was a tap at the window. In the silence, it sounded like pans clanging. His dad opened it a crack, and three hooded figures slid in. One stepped forward, and lowered her hood.

He forgot how to breath for a moment. The girl had thick, blonde hair that went past her shoulders. Her face was narrow, but with a sort of grace that was impossible to describe. Her eyes were stormy gray, and there were waves reflected in them, as if she were looking at the sea. She was wearing a thin silver circlet, and there was a diagonal scar across her forehead. It was the face from all the wanted posters around town, from TV. Eden Emmerson. Her gray cloak seemed to hide her, making her body hard to look at. He suspected that was the point. It was after curfew. And she reeked.

"Human scent extra-strong. Keeps away monsters." She said when he wrinkled his nose. He nodded, like he knew what she was talking about. Human scent? Did people smell that bad? huh?

The two people next to her lowered their hoods to. One was a boy who was about Eden's height, with black hair and green eyes. The other one was a little shorter, and was eyeing their carpet as if it were something to chew on. He had little horns. A satyr.

"Hello, Mr. Bennetison." Eden said politely. He nodded. She checked her wrist, noticing her watch was missing. She looked at the satyr with narrowed eyes, and he reluctantly handed it to her.

"I didn't think you'd need it- I was saving it for a snack because I'm hungry."

The boy smirked. Eden wiped the watch on her cloak before putting it on, shooting the boy and evil glance.

"We gotta run- the guard was on high alert. You packed?" They all nodded. Eden paused. "Can you ride?"

"Horseback ride?" Bailey asked. Someone seemed to have a voice here, Derek thought drily. How nice.

"Mmm. Sort of. Pegasus-back ride, I guess."

Derek hadn't heard of that, not that thay meant much. "Pegasus-back ride?"

"Yah- have you?" they all shook their heads. She sighed. "Can you horseback ride?"

Derek nodded.

"He's lying. He can only skateboard- he is going to be the next Tony Hawk." Bailey said sarcastically, and Eden raised her eyebrows. Derek felt irked. Why did everyone but him know who Tony Hawk was?

"You'd have to be really good." Eden studied him critically, like she was trying to figure out if he was worth the time this was taking.

"How would you know?" he cringed when he said that. His first words too- oh my titans.

She got a glint in her eye. "He was on TV once when I was seven. But we got to get going. Riding a Pegasus is like riding a horse, only flying. They know where to go, though. You will be fine." _They know where to go?_ He thought, _Come again?_.

"Derek and Bailey on Jacko- Mr. Bennetison with me on Pig, and Gro will take Mrs. Bennetison on Realto. Eden can take Gi." The black haired boy decided. Eden shot him a look, but didn't contradict him. They all slipped outside the house, walking quietly across the back yard. Each crunch sounded like a gunshot, and Derek's heart kicked up. Surly the guard would notice them by now, and they would all be carted off to jail. And tourtured, and executed. His heartrate was racing fast enough to make his gym teacher proud.

Gro pulled four cloaks out of his bag and passed them out.

"If anything comes, hold dead still. These hide your infrared, but I don't think that will be necessary since our main problem is monsters." Eden instructed. Derek swallowed. This was not real- he was dreaming. There was no way- monsters? Like, on TV? He knew they were around, but they were always involved with someone else. The someone else that was standing within three feet of him, actually. Oh, crap.

He missed Parslow already. And all his other friends. And his horse.

He and Bailey climbed onto Jacko, a black horse with wings. He had seen these on TV- the Titan's lieutanants rode them.

"I'll go in front." Derek said, moving up to it. She frowned.

"Who gave you permission?" Bailey demanded, but then figured if anyone attacked, Derek would be the first to know. He just realized the same thing, and frowned. But with their backpacks, there wasn't space for her on the horse.

"Derek- put your back pack on your front." The black haired boy laughed. Derek's face warmed, and he swung his bag around. "And Bailey- you are going to have to hold on to him, unless you want to fall off."

Bailey frowned, reluctantly wrapping her arms around him feeling her ears heat up. "What happens if you fall?"

"He catches you." The boy said, looking at her as if she were crazy.

"If you two don't hurry, the war will end without us. Because that guard over there is getting antsy." Eden was sitting on Gi like she did it every day of her life, which was probably true.

"Were ready." Mumbled Derek, and Bailey snickered.

The pegasi took off, each beat of their strong wings taking them up higher and higher. Derek took one last look at his house, which he might never see again.

Four hours ago he was thinking about colored smoke for his board. Now he was thinking about living past his teens.

O-o

"What's up with her, anyway?" Derek asked his sister softly as they flew. "Eden, I mean. I thought her god parent was Poseidon, but she looks… I don't know…"

Even though he couldn't see her, he knew Bailey was rolling her eyes. "Aphrodite's great great great great grandson had a daughter with Athena- he must have been un-Aphroditeish. And then that daughter had Eden with Poseidon. " she hissed. "As a result, she is an extremely powerful sort-of-half-blood, and before you make a move on her remember she has been a hunter for 800 years. She concluded sarcastically. Derek would have smacked her if he were facing the other direction. "And you _should_ pick up a newspaper some time. I mean, my titans you are uninformed."

Aphrodite. That would explain it.

O-o

"You've still got it, right?" Peter asked anxiously, and Eden glared at him, sticking her hand in her pocket. She felt the pencil-sized weapon, and nodded.

"Yup. Back up plans at it's best." Peter nodded, falling back by the new recruits.

O-o

They made it half way before a flying, rodent like creature flew over head.

"Freeze!" Eden breathed, and the horses froze, flapping slowley. Slowly, the thing passed over head.

"What was that?" Bailey breathed when Gro gave them the all-clear.

"The boy called it a-" Derek began, but realized she was giving him a weird look.

"'that boy' is Peter Johnson. Don't tell me you have no idea who he is." She said slowly, and Derek blushed.

"Um…"

"He is a son of Poseidon and is more than a little famous- he is one of the key resistors. Are you really that uninformed?"

Derek didn't admit that even Eden's name had not come instantly.

Ten miles later, a flock of pigeons spotted them. Eden knocked an arrow. The pigeons dived. Quicker then lightning, Eden let of half a dozen arrows. It took place in less than a minute, and all the pigeons were dead. She then dropped off the horse, snagging arrows out of the falling bodies before Gi, like they were yelling at each other, came and got her. Derek was impressed, but wondered-

"Um- why did you just kill a ton of pigeons?" he asked, confused.

Peter snorted. "Oh, did you just happen to miss those metal beaks?" Derek ignored him. They all knew the answer.

As dawn was breaking, they coasted to a stop. A guard met them at an old, gnarled tree.

"Names?" he barked to the newcomers, and they gave them. Eden pressed her eye to a knothole in the tree, and whispered something. Derek's mouth fell open as the tree melted into the ground, revealing a hole, and a ladder. The horses jumped down lightley, then waited. The guard waved them through, and as they descended Derek watched the tree appear over them again.

Then a short tunnel, another ladder, and daylight. There was a central green, where hundreds of people were drilling. It was surrounded by trees and brick building, an Derek noticed that probably half the 'people' there were satyrs and nymphs. How odd.

"Girls- Boys." Eden flatly pointed out the dorms, and then disappeared.

Well, OK.

O-o

**I havent update in awile because i am on vacation. I have the first 8 chapters typed but most places we dont have an internet connection. Sorry! I come home tomorrow. **

**coolkid727- I know. most of that is in chapter three, and you learn as the story goes on. **

**bubblegum11 - I know, i thought of that, but also in LT they were 'cupid statues' not 'eros statues.' and half the world has no idea who Eros is. **

**Thai M. Zoofquesque- (your name took forever to type. I will hereonout refer to you as TMZ.) Thanks! I will fix that ASAP. I am a really bad speller. sori! (but not THAT bad)**

**Next time:**

"Gi!" Eden called, leaping into the air. Gi caught her, and they looked at the progress.

Jason and Jack had made short work of one of the hell hounds. Gäldstrup took care of another. Peter was herding the escapees out of the green and onto a boat, but the Titan's reinforcements were coming fast. Looking up, Eden saw Atlas in the mix.

Shit.


	4. Chapter 4

**I just got home, and finished the Battle of the Labyrinth this morning. I have to say, it is my least favorite so far... for some reason, it felt like reading a fanfiction- it seemed like the style of writing was so different, somehow. Someone tell me if they thought that too, or if I just read too many fanfics. And don't kill me for saying that. **

**This is not one of my favorite chapters, but...**

_Then a short tunnel, another ladder, and daylight. There was a central green, where hundreds of people were drilling. It was surrounded by trees and brick building, an Derek noticed that probably half the 'people' there were satyrs and nymphs. How odd._

_"Girls- Boys." Eden flatly pointed out the dorms, and then disappeared._

_Well, OK._

_O-o_

"Pass, pass." A guard waved Jackie and Jason through the gate, and they crossed the green and took seats near the axe man.

She saw Mary and Jack Butch (Son of Apollo) sit on the other side of the platform.

Arianna and Peter sat in the middle. The crowed was filling into the execution site, filling in the gaps, and she recognized a few other rebels on the sides. Eden and her group were going to fly up the buildings that surrounded the square.

"Hi." Said the boy next to them cheerfully.

O-o

"Zach Omïon, who tarred and feathered an Official Guard. Alfred Nickerchu, who helped Zach Omïon…" Eden smiled slightly from her position behind the buildings. Alfred Nikerchu? He must have gotton lots of grief about his name as a kid.

More then lots. It sounds like that pokemon character you used to make fun of. Gi said, and she grinned.

"ten!" the crowed counted, and her muscles tightened. "Nine! Eight! Seven!" the group behind the buildings rose up slightly on their horses, carefully out of sight. "Six! Five! Four! Three! Two!"

Two seconds until they beheaded Omïon, the first victim.

Hurry up, guys, Eden thought nervously, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. There was a thump and someone screamed.

O-o

"Three! Two!" Chanted the crowed, and Jackie tensed, leaping up and landing on the stage, ramming into the executioner. Some people screamed as the others from her group ran to her aid. Some guards blew whistles, and five hell hounds, a manticore, and Echidna galloped into the square.

Wait- Echidna galloping? well, ok.

Greg Gäldstrup melted out of the mass of people. One of the hell hounds lunged at him, red eyes gleaming, and the General sheared off its front claws with a swing of his sword, dropping to the ground to avoid being knocked over. Mary began hacking at the ex-condemned's bindings. More people screamed, guns fired, and the guards tried to chorale the bistanders out the door. Then Eden, Ivy, Gro, and the entire Apollo delegation plus a few mortals and satyrs landed on the top of the middle building.

Everyone went silent./\

"Emmerson!" someone screamed, and a dozen manticore spikes flew in their direction- along with 50 bullets.

"Scatter!"

Eden ran forward, leaping off the building and put her hands over her face, trying to forget how much she hated heights, as she tore through the thin netting that went across the top of the stage. She spun in the air to avoid a bullet.

Her feet broke the wire, and the broken ends scratched up the backs of her hands. Without them, it would have been her nose and eyes. It still hurt like hell.

Eden felt something coming, turning in mid air as a spike sailed right past where her head had been, and she flicked a finger. Knives sprouted out the bottom of her sandals, and she landed a hell hound straight in the neck .

It fell with a howl, and then went still. A guard whipped out his walkie talkie and Mary lunged at him, landing her dagger through the device. He whipped out his own knife and slashed.

The slit on her shirt was soon closed up by blood. Lots and lots of it.

"Mary!" Eden moved towards her, but Arianna beat her to it. She pulled Mary onto Jacko and headed off.

Half a dozen winged tv cams watched them go. Crap.

"You will die!" promised Echidna, moving in with a long knife, dodging the arrows that Eden sent her way.

"Eden! Heads up!" Ivy shouted at her, and she dropped to her knee as a ten more spikes sailed over her head, scattering the panicking crowed.

Gro began to play his pipes, and vines shot from the ground entangling the manticore. As he pulled free, Ivy sent three arrows into his neck. He turned, and sent some spikes in her direction. One grazed Ivy's side, and she cried out, throwing her dagger. The manticore went down with a gasp.

"Tell Lord Kronos I say hello!" Said Echidna, eyes on Eden. Cameras turned in their direction.

Claws out, the reptilian woman lunged.

Reflexively, the hunter kicked straight up, and pulled out her sword (Which, she reflected, should have already been out.). Echidna oomph-ed, raking her claws down Eden's side. Eden swung the sword, and Echidna's head came off. Eden's ripped shirt flapped in the breeze, and she was silently thankful that the claws had not been on the front of her shirt. Besides the terrible pain that she would be in- and doctors having to look there, she did not want her shirt torn open in that particular area in present company. Or any company, actually.

"Gi!" Eden called, leaping into the air. Gi shot between her legs, and she landed with a wince, hand on her side.

Jason and Jack had made short work of one of the hell hounds. Gäldstrup took care of another. Peter was herding the escapees out of the green and onto a boat, but the Titan's reinforcements were coming fast. Looking up, Eden way Atlas in the mix.

Shit.

"Atlas incoming!" She yelled, sending three arrows at once into the neck of the third hellhound. One left.

Ivy caught up to her, dagger in hand, riding Pig.

"Leave it, Edie. We can't fight all of them." Seeing sense in this, and being- admit it- to afraid to fight Atlas in her weekend state- or in any state- Eden agreed.

The rebels flew and sprinted towards the boat. The remaining guards were gaining.

"Go!" Eden shouted, drawing her sword and standing in the exit. She shooed Gi on, also. Some familiar faces advanced on her. They were from camp half-blood three years ago. It seemed they had been recruited.

It was hard to try and kill humans. Or half humans. Whatever.

But they wanted to kill her- badly. Probably wanted immortality or a billion drachma. Greedy assholes. Too bad Chiristanity had been abandoned as primitave thinking.

She raised her blade to block the first swing, wiggling her finger to extend the knives in her sandals and kicking another in the stomach. He fell back. But there were about thirty of them, and one of her.

Feeling sick, she sliced the arm of one, and he fainted. She let him be. One of them fired a shot at her, and time slowed. Before she realized what happened, her adrenaline turned into energy, and her body glowed white. Ten there was a bang, and they were all thrown back about ten feet- even the bullet, which impaled itself on the forehead of another. Ouch. Feeling drained of energy, she breathed hard as the living stood back up looking dazed. She blocked a blow, and disarmed one of Hermes's children.

"They're in!" Peter called, and Eden turned, sprinting to the ship. There was another shot, and she jumped aside. The living guards were gaining.

She didn't want to need to use the WMD in her pocket, but if worst came to worst…

Eden did a back flip into Puget Sound. She pushed into the hull of the boat, getting it moving. The loss of energy when she had exploded didn't seem so bad, suddenly. She felt the scratches on her hands closing up, the cuts from Echidna healing. How convenient. A bullet whizzed past her head, and she twisted in the water, moving deeper beneath the boat.

A few minutes later, she surfaced.

"Oi!" She called up to Peter, who tossed her the rope. The ex-condemned stared at her.

"You're dry." One said in disbelief.

"No kidding! Why didn't you say so?!" Eden said sarcastically, snatching a pair of binoculars and climbing up the mast. About ten Titan ships were heading towards them.

"They're gaining! Speed up!" she shouted down. Peter said something, and there was a jolt that almost knocked Eden off her perch. Their boat started hurtling towards the opposite shore at an alarming rate, leaving the Titan Navy far behind.

"Pull off at the woods, OK?" Eden said to Peter, swinging tarzan-like down. Peter spun the wheel, and Eden turned to the escapees.

"If you want to come with us, you need to swear on the river styx that you will not betray us or look for loopholes- If you don't, we can leave you at the rock. Though they will probably go ahead and decapitate you when they catch up." She said flatly.

"In other words," Said Alfred, "We go with you and live or stay here and die." Eden laughed.

"To put it bluntly."

"We have to swear what on the river styx?" Asked another.

Eden sighed and recited-

"By saying 'I swear on the river styx,' you are saying that you will support the Resistance for the time to come, and if you choose to retire from the fight- or during it- you will not give out any information regarding the location, plans, members, or anything else about the resistance and it's allies to an outsider without permission of a superior. By saying the words stated earlier, you are also agreeing not to look for loopholes to this oath." Eden shot Gäldstrup a glance. "he made it up. Blame him." Hesitantly, all the ex-condemned, here on out known as the 'new recruits' repeated the oath.

"Eden!" Arianna was kneeling next to Mary on the other end of the boat. Eden ran to her, dropping to her knees.

"How bad?" She asked quietly.

"Nau' bad." Mary mumbled, which Eden translated to be 'hell on earth'. Arianna shook her head, lifting the shirt slightly. Eden winced. She was covered in blood, and mixed with the blood that had already dried it was the same reddish brown as her hair- it was hard to tell the difference. Her stomach was stained light pink.

"We need to get you back." Eden told her, feeling her pulse. Arianna and Ivy were applying bandages, but she had lost so much blood already.

Shit.

"Land ho!" called Peter from the bow.

"Look." Said Eden, mind racing. "We'll tie her to Doie's back. Arianna, Jackie, you fly next to her and tell me if there is a problem."

"A bigger problem then there is already, you mean." Jackie clarified, and Eden nodded grimly.

She assigned horses to all the new recruits.

"Those who can't fly double up with those who can." She said grimly. The boat bounced against shore, and they lifted off.

"Will she be OK?" Eden asked the doctor as Mary was whisked away on a stretcher. The doctor looked concerned.

"Likely. But it will take time." Eden nodded and headed to her dorm. Everything took time. And time was not something they had a lot of.

O-o

**verop- um, yes. **No, the Titans have not taken over the 21st century that I am aware of. Well, with the earthquake in China, Tibet, Iraq, the typhoon, the crisis in the Democratic party... maybe they have. Who knows? And about the Cupid/Eros sentance- they called him cupid in the books, and most people dont know him as Eros- like R.R. calles 'Hercules' hercules in stead of the greek version, '_Hera_cles'

**Coolkid-** The mist is the mortals version of reality, but when people woke up to the existance of Olympus 500 years before this story takes place monsters _became_ part of their version of reality. THerefore, in this time and place, mortals can see the monsters.

**Jon Pierce-** Yes. I couldn't resist. I might add a Perry, too. What was his last name? Perry Johassan? Something like that.

**Bubblegum11-** Interesting good or interesting bad? or just interesting?

**Next time:**

"Whoa, whoa whoa." Adam frowned. "Are we just going with, oh say, 8,000 against 12,00? Are you _insane_?"

"How about ambitious?" Eden suggested. "And with a few BMD we can get rid of a lot of 'em. We just have to fly high and try not to destroy the pigs."

"Oh yes. The pig statues are soooo much more important then the safety of the whole freaking universe." Said Adam sarcastically.


	5. Chapter 5

**This is not an action-filled chapter, but I felt it was necessary. Next chapter more interesting. But fanfic was not letting me log in yesterday so sorry it took awile to update!**

_"Will she be OK?" Eden asked the doctor as Mary was whisked away on a stretcher. The doctor looked concerned._

_"Likely. But it will take time." Eden nodded and headed to her dorm. Everything took time. And time was not something they had a lot of._

O-o

"We have heard disturbing reports of Titan movement to California, where they have been resisting Titan control." Said Adam , head of intelligence, late in June.

Julie checked her watch.

"Really? We should set up a base in California." Eden mused.

"After Europe." Gäldstrup said firmly.

"Do you know which route they are planning to take?" Eden asked, ignoring the General. Adam nodded.

"They are heading through the Pike Place Market area next Saturday." Pike Market was a market by the water that had been in use for eleven hundred years. Next to it was an ex-temple of Poseidon, now to Oceanus. Popular worship of the gods had come back around 2600.

Julie checked her watch.

"Pike Market…" Eden mused, frowning. "How many?"

"It is hard to say- around… oh, 12,000?" Eden's eyes narrowed. She looked at Rissa.

"And our current explosive level is?" Rissa typed a few things into her laptop and looked up.

"We now have 80 bombs of mass destruction explosion range around thirty feet in all directions. , 1406 minor bombs, with a range of about a foot. 835 with a range of twenty feet, and 2 nuclear bombs."

"We won't need the last one." Eden muttered, thinking. She turned to Gäldstrup. "Last check we had about three thousand in this base. I think we could get the Canadian army here if we do indeed have four days- I don't know about New England. They are having trouble in the Boston area, and it would take too long."

"Agreed."

Eden paused. "Tom, can you get a message to the Canadian base by tomorrow?" Tom saluted.

"Whoa, whoa whoa." Adam frowned. "Are we just going with, oh say, 8,00 against 12,00? Are you insane?"

"How about ambitious?" Eden suggested. "And with a few BMD we can get rid of a lot of 'em. We just have to fly high and try not to destroy the pigs."

"Oh yes. The pig statues are soooo much more important then the safety of the whole freaking universe." Said Adam sarcastically.

"Ancient pigs." Snorted Eden. "They were big tourist attractions when I was thirteen. And don't forget the ruins of the first ever Starbucks!" Adam shook his head in disgust, and Eden grinned. "Kidding."

Julie checked her watch.

"Are you waiting for something?" demanded Adam, irritated.

"No, she is checking her watch every five minutes just for fun." Eden informed him. "Move to adjourn."

"I second." Said Greg with a worried glance at Julie. Eden led her out the door.

O-o

"You need some sleep, Eden. When was the last time you slept?" Demanded Dawn, hands on her hips.

"Um…" Eden frowned, burying her face in her hands on the bench outside the hospital. "…Night before last?" Dawn shoved some more arrows in her quiver.

"Thought so- even you can't get by on zero sleep."

"I'm fine." Eden snapped, suppressing a yawn. Dawn shook her head.

"Go. To. Bed."

O-o

Thalia was surrounded by monsters. Thirty- forty, maybe fifty. Eden ran to help, but it felt like there were rocks in her shoes.

"Thalia!" Artemis jogged to her aid, and a hellhound leapt forward, snapping at Thalia's side. She stabbed it, and it dissolved. A manticore spike hit her through the stomach, and Eden snapped. There was a bang, and half the monsters were thrown back. Artemis took care of the rest.

"Thalia!" Laurel was running towards them. Time sped up, and Eden reached her side. The Lieutenant's breathing was slowing, and Eden squeezed her hand. Thalia squeezed back.

"Eden… " She mumbled. "Don't…" she gasped for air, then went still. Laurel buried her face in her hands, and Eden closed her eyes. Artemis chewed her lip. Dread seeped through Eden's body. It couldn't be true. Thalia was not dead. It couldn't be true. But there was the evidence.

The three of them dragged her body back into the trees to keep it out of site. Artemis lowered her head, eyes closed. They positioned Aegis over Thalia's chest, and Eden saw something coming reflected in it.

Snakes?

Laurel was sobbing quietly as the thing came closer. Eden identified it, and her blood froze.

"Laurel- Medusa! Don't…" Laurel stopped crying. Trembling with fear, Eden tipped the shield up.

There was Laurel, face twisted with grief, stone tears still running down her face. In the shield, Medusa smiled.

"You-" Artemis threw her blade, and it hit Medusa through the neck. She yelped in surprise, and vanished. Head and all.

Before either of them could move, Atlas and Kronos landed next to them. Atlas saw Thalia's body and smiled. Artemis drew her knives, standing in front of Eden.

"Run!" she hissed.

Artemis had a severe disadvantage. Atlas and Kronos were bigger- stronger- and two against one. She didn't have a chance.

Eden tried to help, but Artemis shook her head. Atlas forced her into a cage, which sprouted wings and lifted off of the ground. They let Eden be, chasing Ares.

"Artemis!" Eden took a running jump, hanging on to the bars. They burned, and it took all her strength not to let go.

"Eden." She had never seen Artemis so serious. "Destroy Laurel's statue. She is not dead- she hovers in sub consciousness. Send her down to Hades- it is better."

"Artemis…" Eden began, but the goddess cut her off. She slid the lieutenant band through the bars.

"Take care of the Hunt, Eden." She said softly.

"I can't- Jackie would be better." Eden protested, but Artemis shook her head.

"Jump." Arrows flew at Eden, and they were getting higher. Artemis pushed her off the cage and she fell.

O-o

Eden gasped, sitting up with a jolt. She looked around. All the hunters were there- Dawn was below her, Arianna across. Ari (Short for Ariadne) was snoring, and Eden made a mental note to get some earplugs. Chloe was mumbling in her sleep, Jackie was curled up in a tight ball. Mary was awake in the bunk next to her and was watching her.

"You alright?" Mary whispered so as not to wake the others. "You were talking in your sleep." Eden frowned.

"Did I wake you up?" Mary shook her head.

"I was already awake."

Eden checked her watch. "At three A.M?"

Mary hesitated. "I was having bad dreams."

"Me too." Eden said softly. "what were yours?" Mary gazed at the wall.

"Something was crushing Artemis, and she was in pain. I don't remember anything else. What were you?"

Eden swallowed. "I was back at the battle and Thalia…" She stopped. A bell was ringing in her head. Clanging. Screaming.

Thalia. Why she became Lieutenant. What Atlas-

"Oh my gods." Eden whispered. "I've been so stupid!" She swung herself down to the floor, yanking on some jeans.

"What are you- wait!" Mary started to climb down from her own bunk, then froze, hand on her side. The scar across her chest and down to her hip would sometimes hurt if she moved quickly.

"How bad?" Eden asked quietly. Mary hesitated.

"Not too bad." Coming from Mary, it was like 'I'd rather die' from any sane person.

Eden bit her lip as they exited the cabin.

"So- what is this stunning realization of yours?" Mary asked in a controlled voice.

"Thalia told me about a century ago… she said that when they were rescuing Artemis, about a millennia ago the day that she joined the hunters- she said that Atlas said… all the Olympians would take turns… with the sky. In California. My gods I have been dumb."

O-o

"So you are saying the Gods are in California." Adam said skeptically.

"No- I just want to go to the Golden Gate Bridge. My gods, Adam. Do you think I would say that if I wasn't sure?" Eden snapped.

"Um… Does that mean we should save the bombs?" Rissa asked, "From Pike Place."

Eden ignored her. "There was rebel activity in California. The mountain of despair is in California. The Titans are reinforcing California. It all fits!"

There was silence.

Gäldstrup opened his mouth to say something, but it was interrupted by a satyr running through the camp yelling "IT'S A GIRL! IT'S A GIRL!"

Eden jumped up. "Move to regroup in ten minutes.."

Rissa stood up too. "I second."

"Moved and seconded-" Tom began, as everyone fled. "Any objections?" He asked the empty room.

O-o

A new life is a special thing, even in an illegal camp in the middle of a war.

Hope Ulomia was born at three thirty five am, on the twenty-eighth of June, 3001. She weighed five pounds, ten ounces.

But later, Eden wondered it this was good, or if Hope was just another baby she had doomed to orphan-ization and an early death.

O-o

**bubblegum11 - **laugh ok then. Thanks.

**NEXT TIME:**

"Arianna!" Eden, eyes on her own shield, ran to help her. But before she got there, she saw Medusa lunge. Arianna's sword was knocked out of her hand, and Medusa jumped to her feet, blocking her from her weapon. Smiling, Medusa dove.


	6. Chapter 6

**hi! Almost out of completed chapters. New Beta Reader story, and bubblegum11, yours is coming soon about Circe. Just gotta think of a fresh complaint.**

_Hope Ulomia was born at three thirty five am, on the twenty-eighth of June, 3001. She weighed five pounds, ten ounces._

_But later, Eden wondered it this was good, or if Hope was just another baby she had doomed to orphan-ization and an early death._

_O-o_

"Remember. Do not use all of the bombs. I repeat: Do not use all of the bombs." Eden told the army, and they all saluted sarcastically, making Eden roll her eyes. They all assembled into their groups.

"Bombers, only go when I give the signal, and start with the mediums. Save the BMDs for Atlas and Kronos and their lieutenants- and try not to blow up any buildings."

"Yah. Because a few thousand year old pigs are really worth giving our lives for." Adam said sarcastically, and Eden smacked him.

"Because we don't want to kill innocent shoppers, you imbecile."

O-o

The Titan's parade was a big one. People gathered to watch them parade by, on a show of strength to kick some Californian butt. Or so they thought. Luckily, no helioptes were there... yet. Atlas led the group in a march, flanked by Lars, discendant of Luke Castellan, and so slightly realted to Kronos, and the Chimera. Soldiers were marcing behind in rows of ten. They would, once out of town, get into helicopters. The goal of the rebels was not to let them.

"Wait- wait…" Eden cautioned her group. "Fan out and knock an arrow. Fire when I say so, or when I die. Got that?"

Dawn frowned at her. "She is serious," she told the group, shooting Eden a look that said _you clot_. The titan's army was parading and reached the corner when Eden sprung from a tree, knocking her arrow, blocking his path. Peter, Gäldstrup and Adam landed next to her.

Camera lenses turned towards them as spectators gasped, screamed, et cetera.

"Going on a holiday?" Eden asked Atlas, who smirked, and turned to Adam.

"You aren't hanging out in very good company." He told him. Adam frowned.

"Do you call drafted mortals and psycho monsters good company?" He asked the Titan. Atlas turned his eyes back to Eden.

"Ready to die?"

The waves in Eden's eyes looked like tsunamis. "We die when you die. You and all your blood thirsty minions."

Atlas lunged with his sword, and ina blink of an eye Eden hurled herself in the air, and Atlas's sword merly sliced off part of her sandal. Eden twisted, landing the knives on her shoes in the gap between the base of his neck and his helmet.

Atlas snarled in pain, swinging around and sending the hunter flying through the air, It took a moment for her to gain control, and she curled into a ball to avoid the arrows coming her way.

Gi caught her as she fell, and she swung around, raising a fist.

The bombers shot out from their positions all along the line that took up several blocks. There were booms, and screams.

"B.M.D.A!" Eden screamed. "Peter- Greg- Adam-_ move_!"

Atlas screeched as a Bomb of Mass Destruction hit him in the butt. The force of the blast hit several unlucky gray-uniformed Titan's, and a circle of destruction circled the howling Atlas. He shouted orders. Bullets flew through the air.

Eden's heart tightened as she saw several archers fall.

"Second wave!" Gäldstrup commanded, and more bombs were thrown. But the Titan's were organizing- and fighting back. Hard.

Bullshit.

Medusa turned on a newer recruit, and Arianna saw him turn to stone. She pulled out her shield, charging the monster, anger fueling her.

Medusa had killed her best friend. She would kill her. Medusa saw her coming and smiled, waiting.

"Arianna!" Eden, eyes on her own shield, ran to help her. But before she got there, she saw Medusa lunge. Arianna's sword was knocked out of her hand, and Medusa jumped to her feet, blocking herfrom her weapon. Smiling, Medusa dove.

Eden watched in horror as Arianna kicked upwards, hitting her in the chin. Medusa's head snapped back, and Arianna swung her foot around. Medusa's talons scraped the back of her leg. Arianna fell back, kicking the monster in the neck. There was a crack as her neck broke. Then she dissolved. Arianna wiped some blood off her leg.

Others were not so lucky. Rissa ducked some Manticore spikes, one hitting her in the shoulder. Her brother Thax ran to her aid.

There was a scream, and Eden whirled around to see Atlas, pinning Dawn to the wall with his knee, hands on her hips. And moving them down. Bullshit.

_Gi!_ Eden thought, and started running. The Pegasus dove, and she jumped on.

_There!_

Eden flipped off, landing right on the Titan's arm. It cracked, and he snarled. He punched Eden in the face. Blood spurted from her nose, and she raised her sword. Suddenly, Atlas's head snapped sideways. Gi had kicked him and was coming in for another blow. Eden pulled Dawn away, and Gi sped past Atlas and they scrambled on. Dawn trembled.

"You Do-kay?" Eden asked her, and she nodded.

Gi dropped them off on the roof of a store, grumbling about the nose blood on his back.

The fight was going badly. Once they had regrouped, the titans outnumbered them two to one. More bombs fell, but it wasn't enough. Unless…

"Peter!" Peter flew over to where Eden was crouched behind a store sign. "Tell me if anyone is coming. Or anything." He nodded, and Eden closed her eyes. She forced all her feelings of fear and adrenaline into her fingertips, making them glow white. Then she thought of protecto-flames- fire that couldn't burn. She held this in her mind with the hunger for Titan minion flesh. And small flames appeared on her fingertips.

She opened her eyes, running them down an arrow. It started to burn with ice white flames, and taking careful aim, Eden shot it into the lines of soldiers.

Trying to shake off the feeling of numbness and exhaustion that always came after… whatever it was. Not god magic, nor Titan. She had often wondered, but no one ever knew. She watched as the first titan minion to catch fire scream. The fire wasn't hot, it blocked your ability to breath. He fell, choking, to the ground. A friend moved to help him, and the fire caught him too. Eden looked away. Doing that made her feel sick, but this was war, she reminded herself. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

When she was dead, she would kick the butt of whoever said that.

With this new enemy attacking, the Titans had to retreat. Eden sent another arrow into the back of the troops, a block away,

"Ari!" Dawn whispered. Ari was surrounded by about twenty monsters. Trying to shake off the feeling of déjà vu, Dawn and Eden ran to help. Cameras pointed on their faces, and Eden spun, landing her fist through the lens of the first one. She winced as the glass scraped her hand, and a dracaenae took advantage of her distraction and lunged.

Eden felt her coming, drawing her knife from her belt and spinning, The dracaenae gasped, staring in disbelief at the blood seeping across her chest.

"Until we meet again." Eden said grimly, then decapitated her.

The cameras followed with interest. Thinking ahead this time, she stabbed the next one with her knife.

Then Lars lept forward.

Lars was one of Kronos's chief minions, great great great great great great great grandson of Luke whats-his-face.

"Bad timing." He snarled, and Eden snorted.

"Touché. Can you guys think of something new? How about- I vill kill 'oo now! In a German accent? Look good on camera. Then again- so will your dead body." Eden Lunged, sword out. He blocked it, and cut in with a thrust. Eden spun to avoid it, sticking out her foot and hitting him in the side. He oomphed, and she jabbed, sticking the point of her sword through his shoulder.

Lars tossed his sword to his other hand, and Eden had to admire his endurance.

People cleared away, watching. He threw his knife, and she dodged, knocking it out of the air. Eden picked it up, and threw it back. He backed up, and it went through his foot.

More cameras had drifted over, and Eden wondered if it was a breaking news report.

_**Breaking news! Rebel attack at Pike Place! Watch the rebels get their butts kicked!**_

Ha ha. Not. He thrust forward, and she jumped into the air. He made a long cut down her leg that Eden hoped wasn't too deep. She spun in midair, landing behind him.

_Can I?_

She wondered, adrenaline kicking in. She thrust at his back, but he stepped forward and turned. She hit lower- much lower.

Lars howled in pain, and Eden flinched as she saw where she had hit him.

In the crotch.

That had to hurt.

O-o

Emergancy choppers took him away, and the Titan's retreated. More then half of them had died, due to BMD and choke-fire. The Rebel cry of victory paled as they realized their own losses.

Eden flew over to where Peter and Gäldstrup were standing, and she waved over Rissa and Adam.

"We're going to California." She said grimly, and they stared. "We will have maybe a six hour head start- we need to hurry. I bet they are sending fighters to Mount Othrys at this minute. They will want Lars and Atlas, but…"

"Hello? We just fought in a battle. We have dead to collect." Adam glared at her. "I want… to find my mom." The worry in his voice was sincere, and Eden agreed. She wanted to know where the hunters were- how badly injured. But…

"We can't take many. Maybe a dozen people, the others can take the dead. But with a god, we can heal the wounded. If we are lucky, it will be your dad who is there- he is really good at healing and stuff."

Adam stared.

Greg Gäldstrup looked down, then back at Eden.

"You are planning to fly to San Francisco with your leg bleeding half to death?"

Eden looked down. The cut on her leg was not to deep, but was trickling down into her socks. Slowley, the pain signals made their way to her brain and she leaned up against Ursula the pig.

"I am not planning to fly. If we disguise ourselves well enough, we can take a train. And it will heal, modern antibiotics being what they are." It was true. An injury that would have taken weeks to heal when she was young now only took a few days. Wash your hair with the right shampoo once a year, and it will not tangle and repel dirt for around a year. There were vaccines for every known disease, and if you got a bad one- like cancer- they could cure it in a week. A cold could be fixed in five minutes.

Peter looked at her a minute. "You will have to bandage it and stuff first. Who are you planning on taking?"

Eden though a moment. "All the hunters that are not seriously injured.."

"Besides yourself, you mean." Adam muttered, and she flicked him off.

"The whole Ares and Athena groups that are not seriously injured- and some of the mortals." Eden summarized, and slowly Greg nodded.

"I guess…."

"Oh, and all of you. Be nice if Julie could be here, but- duh…" They nodded. Hope had been keeping her up all hours of the day and night.

Gäldstrup looked all business. "I will go gather the troops. Meet you here in an hour." They nodded, and Eden turned to the task of identifying the dead.

They all kept little cards on their pockets with their names on them- they knew that they were badly outnumbered.

But they had won.

Eden knelt by the nearest non-gray uniformed body. She recognized his face- he was a newer recruit. She slid her hand into his pocket.

Timotharus Joluant.

Tim.

He had two kids, ages 5 and 7. He had a wife, who he would never see again. he had friends. He had a _life_.

And it was all her fault.

Eden closed her eyes, tears sliding out. She prayed that all the cameras were destroyed. Her back trembled.

_You had to do it. You won. You kicked Titan butt. Who knows how many lives you saved? He knew the risks. So did his family._

Said the common-sense part of her brain.

_What will happen to his kids? I will have to walk in there with his freaking coffin and tell them… that their husband and father died at the age of thirty three. Fuck._ Said the emotional part of her brain.

_Take care of the Hunt._ Artemis's voice echoed in her mind. Right. She loaded Tim on a hover stretcher, wiping her eyes. It floated away, and she looked.

It was horrible. Some bodies were so badly mutilated they were only identifiable by the name in their pockets.

Eden's back trembled as she read the names. Many were from the Canadian base. Many she had lead to the camp herself.

There were stone statues dotting the battlefield- Pike Street. The place where she had shopped as a happy-go-lucky twelve year old.

When the Market Places I and II were there, instead of the temple, there was a park where the homeless slept, when Starbucks had been a big deal.

When she had kept up with the potterpuppetpals on youtube, and would wait to watch the latest video.

The worst part was when she way Ari, lying unmoving by Starbucks.

No! Not Ari not Ari not Ari not Ari- Eden sprinted to her side, trying to fight the feeling of déjà vu.

O-o

_She was standing in the battlefield, head bleeding when she saw a blonde figure lying in the grass by the throne room. _

_No! Eden ran up to it, run-limping up the walk. She slowed when she reached it. _

_"DAWN!" She screamed. Dawn came running, and knelt next to her, turning the body over. But Eden knew, before she saw the face. The clothes were covered in blood, but she knew. _

_It was Jessica. She wasn't breathing. _

_No no no no no no no no no no no! Her brain screeched. Not Jessica! She's alive! NO!_

_She wasn't. _

_Dawn started to cry hard, hiding her face in Eden's shoulder. Eden hid her face in her hands, shaking as her tears rinsed the wet blood of the dead hunters clothes. _

_She had tugged them on in a hurry when the alarm was sent off at oh-dark thirty. Eden had watched her do it._

_Now she was dead. She had died alone. _

O-o

"Ari!" Ari moaned, and Eden was filled with relief. She snapped her fingers and a stretcher drifted up to her.

"Can you move?"

"Wha' does it look like?" Ari pushed herself off the ground about two inches, the flopped back on the Welcome! Mat.

Eden hoisted her onto the stretcher, and sent it to the injured quarters, and was about to follow when-

"He was my husband!" there was a wail, and she turned, seeing a woman collapse on the body of a gray uniformed soldier about five feet away. The woman sobbed, tearing at her hair. "No! no! no! no!" She looked up at Eden, and her eyes narrowed. "This was all your fault!" she screeched, lunging at her. "This was all your fault!" the woman slapped her. Not hard, but Eden didn't move, just looking at her sadly. The woman fell back, looking stunned.

_I just slapped Eden Emmerson_. She was probably thinking. _I will wake up tomorrow in Hades_.

Eden's heart throbbed. it was her fault. Every dead body here as because she suggested it. It was all because of her.

_More would have died had the titans made it._ Pleaded the common sense section of her mind. Eden's heart ignored it.

"I lost friends here too today." She told the woman quietly. "But you husband could have died anyway. I am sorry for your loss."

O-o

drum roll Will they find the gods or die? Read on later!

**INKSTINK**: Yah, would be, but Hades is not ruling the underworld at this time, Kronos is.

**BUBBLEGUM11**: LIfe goes on.

**NEXT TIME:**

The ticket collecter snorted. "Think you can create one of your… confusions… around us? Did you think you could keep your livestock on the roof unnoticed?"

"Well," Eden paused, "It was worth a shot."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: most of the characters and practically all of the plot are mine. Any references to events in the books are- duh- not mine. If you steal any of my ideas I will… um… send you an angry PM, I guess…

More would have died had the titans made it_._ _Pleaded the common sense section of her mind. Eden's heart ignored it._

_"I lost friends here too today." She told the woman quietly. "But you husband could have died anyway. I am sorry for your loss."_

O-o

They disguised themselves carefully, sneaking onto a train to San Francisco. Eden was seated next to a girl of twelve or thirteen years, reading a magazine. The twenty or so rebels were spread out around the compartment.

Eden checked her pocket to make sure that their backup plan was safe.

The conductor passed by to check tickets, and Eden's adrenaline kicked up.

_Please don't let him suspect anything._ She prayed, though that was pointless. Dangerous, even. If the titans heard her prayer they would know where they were.

He didn't appear to notice anything. Not that that meant much- stupid Titan minions were good at this. too good.

As the train pulled of the station, Eden relaxed a tiny bit.

"Where are you going?" The girl lowered her magazine.

"Um… 'Frisco. Like everyone else on this train." She said dryly. The girl laughed.

"Where in 'Frisco?"

Eden shrugged. "Around. Visiting my dad- my parents are separated. You?" That was true. Eden couldn't lie. She didn't know if this was god blood or what, but it was obvious when she tried. She had gotton good at non-answers, or saying something, meaning something else. Her parents_ were_ separated, and she _might_ see her dad.

The girl gave her a sympathetic look. "I am going with my parents- but they are a few seats back. I didn't want to spend the whole ride next to my sister. What's your name, anyway?"

Eden didn't know if she was a titan minion in disguise, but she couldn't avoid this question without seeming suspicious. But if she said 'Eden' then monsters would pounce.

"Emily." She said truthfully- it was her middle name. She prayed it was as common a name as it had been 800 years ago- not likely. But the girl nodded.

"Dil." She said. "Short for Daffodil. Don't ask." Eden smiled.

"I won't."

O-o

The next few hours passed rather smoothly. She kept her hand in her pocket, keeping a hold on her WMD. Just in case. She also kept relieving the battle in her mind- partly because she couldn't help it- and partly to keep her adrenaline up, incase of an emergency. And mostly because if she let herself get lost in a book she might end up dead. SO she had nothing else to do.

_You all OK up there?_ She asked the Black Team- the black pegasi that were used for night missions- that were riding on top of the train. It went through woods and such so she suspected that- for awile, anyway- they would not be noticed.

_We are all here, though the wind stings._ Muttered Gi, and she nodded.

_OK._

An hour passed.

Another hour.

And another.

Sometime then, she felt the mood shift. The train slowed to a stop. The ticket collector walked into the room, and Eden's stomach dropped. _Ut-oh._

She pretended to read the spare edition of Teen Fashionhouse that was left on a seat- a newer magazine that she was not familiar with and thought was trash- when the collector paused next to her seat.

Before she knew what was happening, he placed his sword point at her neck.

Bullshit.

"Emmerson!" He shouted, and she pulled out a digital camera and looked around franticly, pretending to be suprised. Dil's jaw dropped.

"Where?"

The ticket collecter snorted. "Think you can create one of your… confusions… around us? Did you think you could keep your _livestock_ on the roof unnoticed?"

"Well," Eden paused, "It was worth a shot."

He dug his sword deeper into her neck.

"We have you now. Atlas is coming in minutes."

"Well," Eden said with exaggerated patience, "Tell him I'm sorry to have missed him. I am afraid my schedule is rather hectic today." A dangerous answer, but the stupid git was too... stupid for her to take him seriously. She released her adrenaline rush, wiping blood off her neck as the guard was thrown backwards out the window.

People were screaming as the doors flew open, and more guards marched in. Eden gritted her teeth, and _bang_.

The side of the car blew open to reveal… forest. Great.

"And you!" The 'ticket collecter' pointed at Dil. "You come with us." Dil's eyes widened in fear.

"She didn't have anything to do with it. With us." Eden said coldly.

The ticket collector smiled. "Then you wont mind if I…" He swung his sword, and Eden kicked him in the balls. He fell back, and just sheared off Eden's left pocket.

Panic overwealemed her, and she felt in the other pocket. Good- their secret weapon was safe.

"There- she does mean something to you."

"Maybe I object to the slaughter of innocent teens? Considered that?" Dil shot her a look that said _thank you_. Eden nodded.

She jumped to her feet, and her disguise exploded. Eden pulled some twine out of her pocket. It stiffened, and morphed into a sword.

"Out, guys!" She shouted, sending an arrow through the head of a monster she didn't have time to identify.

The group ran for the hole, dodging bullets. Gäldstrup paused.

"Go, Eden!" He called. There was a bang and a flash of white light. Several people screamed.

"No! Greg, move it!" She shouted, running forward. He jumped out the hole, and Eden raised her shield to ward off the arrows and bullets coming their way. Gi dropped down, and she and the General jumped on, Eden sent a fart arrow out the back, and the monsters fell back choking. More guns went off, and more people screamed. It was probably the most exciting thing that had ever happened to them.

O-o

"Well." Eden said a few minutes later. "That sucked."

Greg raised an eyebrow. "Massive understatement. What were you thinking?" Eden smiled, pointing to the skyline.

"That we made it almost to 'Frisco in a few hours."

O-o

**de hunter**- thanks. And yes, I can't spell crap. Auctully I can- c-r-a-p. But I stink at spelling and grammer... : (

**bubblegum11 **- Satisfied? I did both.

**Jon Pierce - **Here it is.

**NEXT TIME:**

They watched and waited quietly for hours. His guards didn't appear to notice them, thank… whatever. Eden knew that soon they would need to change sky-holders, unless they did that once a year. She tried to push the thought out of her mind. Maybe a week, she figured.

They might have to watch… for a week.

Her stomach rumbled, and the guards looked around, moving in their direction.

Shit.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi. I am almost done with writing chapter 10, but will only post once a day. Happy Memorial Day, everyone! Happy 3 day weekend! Halleluja! **

O-o

"This is bad." Eden muttered. The garden of twilight wasn't a garden anymore. The flowers had been trampled, the apple tree pulled out, Ladon slaughtered. The Hesperides were gone, something that Eden felt they could deal with later, along with the monsters on their side, the muses, and all of the others.

They tiptoed up the mountain, keeping eyes out for any cams, guards, the like. So far they had found none, which Eden found to be eerie. She pulled herself cautiously over the peak, hood up. She brushed her hair out of her face impatiently, reaching for a hairband.

That pocket had been torn off.

She turned to Dawn. "Do you have…" Dawn handed her a scrunchie.

Eden though wistfully of the days when a girl with short hair would have blended in fine. But when the gods revealed themselves, it seemed the world started to move backwards instead of forwards. Technology hadn't improved a ton, though you could get vaccinated for almost any disease on earth.

She looked over the peak.

Poseidon was holding the sky. Eden checked her pocket again.

Sweat covered the god's forehead, and he was breathing slowly. Eden couldn't imagine how heavy that thing was- even Atlas had a stiff neck. Then again, Atlas had held it for thousands upon thousands of years. Poseidon had not- and hopefully would not.

They watched and waited quietly for hours. His guards didn't appear to notice them, thank… whatever. Eden knew that soon they would need to change sky-holders, unless they did that once a year. She tried to push the thought out of her mind. Maybe a week, she figured.

They might have to watch… for a week.

Her stomach rumbled, and the guards looked around, moving in their direction.

Shit.

Poseidon looked up. Eden concentrated hard, gazing at the rocks across from them. Out of the cornor of his eye, one reptilian guard saw something. She frowned, looking around. Eden concentrated, and with the most effort it had ever taken, let a flicker of light show across the peak from them. The dracane spoke excitedly to her partner, and they hurried over.

"Retreat" Eden breathed, and they moved quietly down the mountain.

O-o

"Well, crap." Peter said as they hid a ways down the trail. Grimly, Gänger passed out some beef jerkey.

In books, people are always to nervous to eat, or too sad. Eden thought that those people were idiots. If you don't know if your next meal is coming from… or if its providers would be executed… well, some people never passed up a toilet. Eden Emmerson never passed up meal.

"Let's keep watch on the road. I bet that is where they change the holders of the sky." Eden said, and Gäldstrup nodded.

"But we can't be surer. Do you have our backup plan?" Eden checked her pocket for the hundredth time in the last five minutes and nodded, knawing at her jerky.

"Now we wait." Said Rissa grimly.

O-o

For the millionth time, Eden reviewed their plans.

The horses were hiden below, ready to come at a moment's notice. She had a WMD in her pocket. All they needed to get out was a right… then another right… then a left and over the cliffs where the horses would catch them. The people waited, dead still, for what seemed like hours. It probably was.- chewing on jerky when hunger pains got too unbarable. Dawn was breaking, (Dawn, like, morning light, not Dawn as in the Hunter.) and Eden wondered if they changed the gods once a week, month or- higher powers on the good side forbid- every year. Finally, they hauled Hermes, struggling and biting, up the mountain. They pulled Poseidon, struggling and biting, down it. Once they turned the corner, Eden hissed,

"Now!" and flung herself at the nearest guard, knocking him down. The second guard pulled out his gun, but Rissa knocked it out of his hand. The fallen guard pulled out his walkie talkie.

Bullshit.

More monsters were coming, and they appeared within seconds. There was no way the 20 of them could fight them all. Without help.

Peter hacked at Poseidon's bindings, while Rissa and Rain, daughter of Athena, Took care of the first guard. Burning arrows flew at them, and Jackie screeched as she lit fire. Eden looked around franticly, monster-kebobing a snake woman. She let off a bang, and yanked the pencil sized WMD out of her pocket, nervs jumping. Would it work for her?

The trident grew in her hand untill it was as tall as she was, and the monsters gasped. Forcing her feelings of fear and adrenaline into her hand, thinking of rushing water, she stabbed the ground.

Nothing happened.

The monsters pressed forward, until-

There was a rumble, and the ground split open. A roaring river sprung from the ground, washed them all down the mountain.

"A raft would be nice around now!" Dawn shouted, "For those of us who can't breathe under water!"

Eden concentrated, and two big boards shot out of the tips. Well, ok. She clubbed a half-blood turned traitor in the side of the head with the left tip, and he slid under water, eyes vibrating.

Peter and Poseidon were hauling the rebels up on the rafts as they hurtled down at 130+ klicks an hour.

"How do you steer this thing?" Demanded Peter, concentrating to keep them from tipping and fighting off drowning monsters at the same time.

Eden pulled a moaning, burned and shaking Jackie onto the raft. "I have no idea!" She screamed over the noise.

The river took a sharp turn, and Eden saw what was ahead.

A waterfall. They had reached the cliff.

Crap.

"Abandon ship!" She screamed, and everyone jumped, pulling themselves and the injured onto dry land with alittle help from the sea god. The monsters were not so fortunate.

One by one, they went screaming off the cliff and onto the black rocks below. Eden winced.

A sound of wings made her turn, but it was only the BT.

Ready to roll? Gi asked, and Eden nodded, tossing Poseidon the trident.

"Not so fast." Said a snide voice behind them.

Atlas.

Eden tried to control her fear. She could do this. Just because Atlas was ten or more times larger than she was, she and her…. Injured army could kick his butt.

Right? Her brain didn't buy it.

He lunged, and Eden spun out of the way, leaping into the air. Peter drew his sword. The others readied their weapons.

Atlas stabbed at Eden with his javelin. She thrust her sword upwards, snapping the head off. He just laughed, spinning it, and it turned to a sword. She numped straight up in the air as it passed where her legs had been.

The hunters fired, and arrows sprouted in the gaps in the Titan's armor.

He snarled, leaping, and Eden jumped onto his back, slicing the leather straps that held up his armor. It slid about six inches before Atlas fixed it. Not fair.

Rissa hurled a bomb, and a gap appeared in the thick metal. He spun, sword out, knocking half of them to the ground.

Jackie was moaning a few yards away, and Atlas moved to finish her off.

"No!" Ede took a flying leap, landing infront of her, sending a fart arrow into his face. He raised his sword and swung. Eden tried to move, but he made a deep cut in her hand before Poseidon blocked it with his trident.,

It stuck Atlas in the side of the head, and he stumbled.

That was all they needed.

"Go!' Eden called, and the others made a break for the horses without asking questions. Atlas looked at Eden, Poseidon, Peter and Gäldstrup who were trying to move Jackie.

"We end this now." He said in a deadly voice, and threw his knife at the fallen hunter's head.

Poseidon knocked it away, squeezing the trident. A thick jet of shot out, hitting him in the face. He lunged forward blindly at Eden, who jumped away a moment too late. His blade grazed her side, and she cried out in pain. He turned to her, when Peter shouted

"Hey stiff-neck!"

Eden inwardly groaned as Atlas lunged at Peter. Gäldstrup and Poseidon moved on him at the same time, and Eden jumped onto his back, sticking her fingers into his eyes.

The other horses lifted off, and Eden called Gi and Pig franticly.

Poseidon jumped in front of Peter and Eden, and they ran to the horses, Greg on their heels.

They scrambled on, and Eden looked at her hand. She pulled her energy up to her eyes, and they burned. She tried not to blink as she stared at Atlas. Peter gasped as they started to glow white. Then there was a pop, and little cones of energy shot at Atlas as he was about to serve Poseidon-on-a-stick for dinner.

They struck him in the eyes. He snarled in pain, and Eden sent her remaining adrenaline to hermouth.

It tasted _awful- _her toungue started to buzz and tingle.

She opened her mouth slightly, and licked an arrow. It burst into white flames. She knocked it carefully, hand quivering, and let it fly.

It hit the Thtan in the neck and he snarled, leaping over Poseidon to her.

This did not go according to plan. Poseidon stabbed up with his trident, and… well…

The trouser snake doctor would have his hands full, that was certain.

Atlas fell to the ground, screaming and burning. Poseidon hurtled over him, and jumped onto Gi behind Eden.

Go! Eden told them, and they lifted off.

A camera was following them- it probably had been taping the whole fight. Peter sliced it's wings off, and they saw it crash.

O-o

Eden closed her eyes, trying not to look at the mangled half-blood bodies lying at the base of the cliff. The monsters were gone, but a couple of the dead had been her Aunts and Uncles, others her cousins. Strangely, many were both. Athena's children were her Aunts and Uncles from Athena's side, and if you looked from the Poseidon angle they were her… cousins once removed. Whatever- they were traitors.

"Your hand." Poseidon gestured to the cut.

"It's fine." She lied. It hurt like hell. She wondered if a main vein had been hit; it was sure bleeding a lot.

When she was young she might have lost the use of her hand. Now it would heal pretty quickly, if one had the right supplies. Unfortunately, she did not.

Then again, gods can be useful, too.

Despite her insistence that she was fine, which he could see through like water, he ran a finger lightly down the line of blood, making her wince. It closed up, leaving only a thin scar.

"Thanks." She said tightly as they caught up to the others.

"How's Jackie?" She asked Dawn worriedly, trying not to think of how bad those burns were. Dawn shook her head.

"If we don't get her back to camp within…. Say, an hour… if that…." Dawn wiped her eyes.

Find somewhere to land she told the horses, and soon they touched down in a small clearing. Eden ran to Jackie.

It wasn't pretty.

Some of her clothes had been burned off- you could see the bottom of her sports bra. Eden didn't think she could re-cover he without causing serious pain. Her hair was signed off in places, and her side was a big, swollen white lump. The skin was burned off in parts.

"Jackie?' Eden said softly, and Jackie twitched a finger.

At least she was still alive.

Her pants were in remarkably good condition, to Eden's enormous relief. New clothes were hard to find, and there were boys in this camp.

And if her vagina was burned, it would hurt a hell of a lot worse for a hell of a lot longer. She might never be able to pee again.

_Ew, Eden. Different thoughts._ She told herself.

Ari ran up with some burn cream, and they rubbed some on one part lightly.

Jackie screamed bloody murder, causing everyone to look around in alarm. Eden bit her lip, hoping the noise had not broadcasted their presence.

"This isn't going to work." She said grimly. Ari hesitated, as Peter ran up.

"Still alive." Eden said grimly. "I don't exactly know if that is a good thing or not."

Poseidon squatted next to them. "Should have waited until Hermes left." He said worriedly,

"Is there anything you can-" Ari started, looking down at her side again. The god sniffed, and shook his head looking sad.

"That's Titans Fire." He said grimly. "Unhealable by godly power." Ivy knelt n ext to them.

"Godly power?" She asked uncertainly, and Poseidon nodded.

"Titans can fix it. We can't." Ivy closed her eyes, then opened them suddenly.

"Eden, you try."

Eden's mouth fell open. "Wha-" I

"It isn't godly energy, nor titan. We don't know what it is, remember? Try it." Eden hesitated, then thought of her worry for Jackie, her mixed up emotions, her relief, her pounding heart, her fear, and every emotion she could think of. Her hand started to glow white, and she forced more and more energy into her palm. She started to go pale. Theb Eden thought of healing- Jackie's skin growing back, the pain lessening. She closed her eyes, trying to keep all this in her head.

Her hand felt like pins and needlles as she slowly opened her eyes, placing it on Jackie's side, making her screech.

The skin under Eden's hand was cooling, and he moved her hand up Jackie's side. Eden started to shake, trying to stay alert.

The skin was changing, turning from an angry, pus-finned white to a raw and chapped red. Eden covered all the worst parts before letting go, and falling unconscious to the ground.

**bubblegum11**- It would be worse to be called _Daffy,_ wouldnt it?

**COMING SOON:**

Wake up, Eden! _She yelled at herself, blocking a stinger coming her way. It sliced off, spinning through the current. Eden concentrated, and sent it into the monsters neck. It gagged, then fell over, dead. _

_Wonderful. Evil, murdering stingers._


	9. Chapter 9

**sings Where have all the reviewers gone? long time no read. stops singing ha ha. **

_The skin under Eden's hand was cooling, and he moved her hand up Jackie's side. Eden started to shake, trying to stay alert._

_The skin was changing, turning from an angry, pus-finned white to a raw and chapped red. Eden covered all the worst parts before letting go, and falling unconscious to the ground._

_O-o_

Eden awoke on Gi's back. She sat up slowly, feeling as if her limbs were made of lead, her mouth dry and head groggy. She leaned over, and threw her coveted beef jerky up, and watched if fall out of sight.

"Someone there is going to have a nasty surprise." Said an unfamiliar voice behind her. Eden jumped and spun around, but it was only Poseidon. She swallowed.

"What happened?" She asked shakily.

Poseidon paused.

_You sort of fainted._ Said Gi, and Eden raised an eyebrow.

_Sort of? _

Poseidon smiled slightly. "I think you ran out of charge, so to speak. How much do you remember?" Eden paused.

"…Jackie…" She said, leaning back down.

"Is… doing better." Poseidon supplied, and she was flooded with relief.

"Where are we?"

"Hmm…" Her father frowned, looking down. "Crossing the California/Washington border."

Oh. That was… a ways away.

"How long was I out?" Eden asked worriedly.

"Three- four hours? Not too long. We had to get you and Jackie on horses, and we had to re-position you now and again. And I think that you don't offer as many bathroom breaks as are needed. Your crew had to stop several times." Poseidon supplied.

"TMI" Eden groaned, leaning into Gi's neck. Poseidon reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Instantly, energy flowed through her body, and the pain lessoned. Eden managed to sit up wearily.

"Seen any monsters or T-I-T-A-N minions? Is everyone else OK?' She realized that that should have been her first question, or question_s_. Feeling slightly guilty, she looked at her father worriedly.

"Not many monsters, but there should be more soon. _He_ probably just got the message, and I think many minions are meeting their deaths right this minute in his wrath. I can't believe… he looks so young..." Poseidon paused, thinking of Luke Castellan. "And only Jackie is seriously injured. You were amazingly lucky."

"You helped." Eden said. "Now, and… then"

O-o

_Eden speared a hellhound in the back, fighting her way to Poseidon who was trying to hold his own against a thousand plus monsters, traitor halfbloods, and titans. _

_A cage fell at him, but Poseidon dodged it. _

"_No!" Eden landed at his side, spinning around and kicking a mortal in the groin, and he fell back. Eden sliced his arm off, blocking the swing of another. _

_Kronos waded to the front of the crowd, forcing them backwards to the open door of the cage. _

"_Eden- run!" the sea god hissed between his teeth, but Eden ignored him. Kronos forced Poseidon back into the cage, and it took off. _

_Poseidon met Eden's eyes, and flung out his trident. A mortal caught it, and Eden jumped him forcing him to the ground and wrenching it out his grasp. _

_She turned and saw Thalila, fighting off maybe forty monsters. The trident shrank to the size of a pencil, and Eden shoved it into her pocket, running to help her friend._

_O-o_

They made it as far as the space needle.

The space needle had turned from a tourist attraction to a base- the moment they got near it, half a dozen choppers shot out, heading towards them.

Eden passed a hand over her eyes. When was the last time she slept? Not fainted, but lay down and… snoozed? She did _not_ need this right now. She did not need it _at all._

"Scatter." She said grimly. The horses all spun off in different directions as the helicopters got close enough to recognize the riders.

"Eden- your hood." Poseidon warned as Gi angled around the space needle. Eden reached up to cover her light hair, which was glowing like a beacon in the dark. She felt annoyed- why hadn't she thought of that earlier? The answer; she was too damn tired to think straight right now.

"Down!" Poseidon called, and Gi tipped down to the water, rolling to avoid a bullet that flew past Eden's head. She had been that close to dead.

_Eden._ She told herself firmly. _Snap out of it._ She knocked an arrow, sending it into the windshield of the leading chopper. It was bullet proof. Duh. She mentally shook herself, trying to shake off her exhaustion.

A dozen bullets rushed at them, and Poseidon pushed Eden off Gi and into the water, telling Gi to check on the others, before following.

The water of Puget Sound woke her up some, charging her adrenaline. Her father swam up next to her, pointing.

"Infared beam ahead!" He called, the water distorting his voice. Eden turned, kicking down- down- down, crouching on the rocky floor. A dozen fish swam at her, curious, and she shooed them away.

"Boat?" She asked, pointing to the bottoms of boats to their right, Poseidon nodded. Suddenly, the peace and calm of the water was broken as something _kersplooshed_ in next to them. A titan military helilcopter, with a rock jammed onto it's fans. Smart.

"Stay with me, Eden," Poseidon said as they headed towards the boat.

"I'm right here." She said tiredly.

"I mean awake. And alert."

As if on cue, two dozen…. Things landed next to them. They were like snakes, with human arms and scorpion like stingers on their tails.

_Wake up, Eden!_ She yelled at herself, blocking a stinger coming her way. It sliced off, spinning through the current. Eden concentrated, and sent it into the monsters neck. It gagged, then fell over, dead.

_W_onderful. Evil, murdering stingers.

Eden threw her dagger, aiming it in the current as it stabbed one in the eye. Poseidon killed three in one stroke.

_Ba-ba-boooom!_

A ship exploded, and Eden crouched for cover. Poseidon gazed at the sinking metal, and waved his trident. They hurtled forward, passing closely over Eden's head. The rest of the monsters died on impact.

Eden stood, rubbing her eyes and trying not to yawn. Her hair floated around her face like a halo. There was an eerie silence.

_Eden?_ Dawn's voice echoed in her head. She looked up.

_Huh?_

_Get to the surface- we have maybe a ten second all clear._

Ten seconds was enough. Eden and Poseidon shot to the surface, and Gi caught them.

"Run! Fly! Whatever!" Called Jason, and they shot in the direction of camp. But several flying bat things with fangs were chasing them. It seemed Dawn's guess had been wrong.

"Scatter!" Eden ordered. "Meet at camp in an hour! No one try to be brave and fight, ok? Just _go_!"

The horses scattered like fireworks, causing the Bat things to pause. There were several clicks, and they split up.

_Come on…_ Eden thought to Gi, as she shot one in the face. It let out a screech of clicks that bounced off her ear. It felt like it was echoing on the inside of her brain, bouncing off her skull, and lingering in her mind.

The bat did not dissolve. It merely got angrier, speeding up.

"Buffalo shit." Eden muttered, knocking another. Three orbs of light flew from Poseidon's trident, hitting the bat thing in the wings and head. It screamed again, and exploded.

"Convenient." Eden muttered, ears ringing. "So nice to have super powerful friends on your horse." Gi landed, galloping in the vague direction of camp. So far, nothing was following them. Eden lifted so infrared glasses, scanning the woods. So far, nothing.

Thank… whoever.

O-o

Bailey looked up as a shadow passed through camp. It was Gi, and Eden, with someone else… A god, she hoped, on a horse. They were running, and Eden was knocking an arrow. They passed through in a blink of an eye. They must not have gone through the enchantment, and were there, but not there. Bailey had never seen that before. How strange.

At least they were alive. She turned, aiming her knife at the target. It missed the bulls eye by two inches.

_Darn it!_

O-o

Everyone made it back. Eden and Poseidon were the last ones to arrive. As Gi followed them up, everyone bowed. Eden ignored them, jogging through camp to the hospital.

The door banged open as she entered. Ari and the nymph Maple were applying burn medicine to her skin. It was raw, red and puffy. Not as bad, but…

"She will probably be OK." Maple said, straightening.

Probably. How comforting.

**Sethking - **Thank you.

REVIEW ALL YE SILENT READERS!

**COMING SOON:**

"Allergic is what it is when your body really dislikes something, like peanut butter. Then you get sick."

"People got sick from peanut butter?" Peter was incredulous. "I thought you get shots for that when you are, like, a month old." Eden glared at him.

"I was born in 2010, Kelp Noggin. They didn't have allergy immunizations."


	10. Chapter 10

"What was the death toll?" Eden asked Julie as they sat around the table. Poseidon had joined them- he knew sort of where the others were kept, and as a bonus had all sorts of supernatural powers. That was nice.

Julie paused, and Eden groaned slightly, rubbing her ankle. Gäldstrup rose, looking concerned.

"What happened?" He asked, "Did-" Eden shook her head.

"Mosquito bite." She said through gritted teeth. Peter stared.

"A mosquito bite. She can charge Atlas with her leg practically chopped off, but only expresses pain at a _mosquito bite._"

Eden glared at him. "I'm allergic." She snapped, moving her hand. The bite was large, surrounded by a palm-sized ring of red.

Peter looked confused. "Aller-gic?"

Eden shook her head. The kid was seventeen and didn't know what _allergic_ meant? Then again, he spent more time fighting then at the little school they had set up. Two years ago he stopped 'trying' to get around to it.

"Allergic is what it is when your body really dislikes something, like peanut butter. Then you get sick."

"People got sick from peanut butter?" Peter was incredulous. "I thought you get shots for that when you are, like, a month old." Eden glared at him.

"I was born in 2010, Kelp Noggin. They didn't _have_ allergy immunizations."

"Oh." Peter stared at her, and Eden stuck out her tongue at him before turning her attention back to Julie. There were rings around her eyes, and she yawned. Hope was not sleeping well, it seemed.

"Well?"

Julie swallowed. "One thousand and seventy-five from Canada…" Eden closed her eyes. "And from our base… eight hundred and seven… and there are fifty five people possibly fatally wounded, ten missing limbs, and one hundred and seventy six minor injuries."

Over two thousand people dead or injured. That was… one quarter of their people.

"And the Titans?" She whispered,

"Lost about thirty percent. Four thousand and sixty two bodies. Injuries unknown." Adam said grimly.

"Bullshit." Eden muttered.

"I will never understand that phrase." Peter complained. "What is so bad about bull poop?" Eden ignored him.

The rebels had claimed victory, but their losses were almost as great. Eden didn't know how many of the dead were drafted or threatened.

War _sucked_.

O-o

"Well," Jackie said a week later, "They could have kicked our butts. They had thirty percent more people than we did. And we won the first major battle. We are probably going to get some recruits out of this."

Eden sighed. "Yes, but still. Almost two thousand, dead. That was one third of this camp, and about the same for Canada." She leaned up against the hospital wall. Jackie forced herself into a sitting position, wincing. Eden got her some water.

"Arianna is in a mood." Jackie told her, and Eden nodded. Medusa's temporary death hardly stopped the flood of anger and thirst for revenge flowing through Arianna's body. Ari had noticed it first, and they were all worried.

Eden wished more than ever that monsters would just _stay_ dead.

"How's Hope?" Jackie asked finally, after a long silence. Thankful for the change of topic, Eden smiled.

"She isn't sleeping all night, but isn't sick or anything as far as I know. She is cute." Jackie sighed.

"I hate it here."

"Here… Hospital? Camp? Washington? USA? Earth?"

"The hospital. So boring."

Maple walked in, brushing Eden aside.

"Ms. Straitfield needs her _rest_."She told Eden, shooing her towards the door.

"Nice seeing you." Jackie laughed as she left.

O-o


	11. Chapter 11

January 17, 3005

Dear Thalia,

It has been three years since I last wrote to you. Things are changing.

We have set up a base in Venice, Italy, Meteora, Greece, and Istanbul, Turkey. We are working on Rome, Beijing and Cuba. Our numbers have grown, but so have the Titans.

Our current status: we have the Furies, Hera, Hermes, Poseidon, Apollo, and the Muses. The muses are spread out in our different camps. Here we have your namesake, muse of the theater.

Jackie is mostly better from her encounter with the fire; her hair started to grow back only a year or so ago, but it still hurts sometimes, I can tell. She never says anything.

And I… if I show one sign of weakness, someone dies. If I make friends with someone, and the itanstay find out, they die. I can't…

What have I gotten myself f into?

Now I need to destroy this message.

-Eden


	12. Chapter 12

**More non-action. Next chapter should get more intersting, and chapter fourteen will be the picture of suspense. **

_And I… if I show one sign of weakness, someone dies. If I make friends with someone, and the itanstay find out, they die. I can't…_

_What have I gotten myself f into?_

_Now I need to destroy this message._

_-Eden_

_O-o_

_"All Council Members, gods, and immortal beings to the council room NOW! This instant! I don't care if you are in the shower, or peeing. This means you too, Eden! You can pee in the council room. NOW! NOW! EMERGANCY! _

_Right. This. Very. Minute. Get your butts over here NOW!_"

The announcement blared through camp at three thirty five a.m. on the morning of January the 19th, 3005, the 17th birthday of Peter Johnson.

Eden yawned, yanking on her jeans and putting on her shoes. She didn't care _what_ Adam said- she was not going to show up half naked in front of _anyone_.

She realized she should just sleep in her clothes in case the camp was under attack. How could she go for five years without realizing this key fact?

"Better move, Edie." Mary said sleepily. "His highness doesn't sound happy."

"I gathered." Eden said grimly. Adam never sounded frantic like that before. He was _twenty_ for crying out loud, and prided himself on keeping his temper.

She stumbled into the council room with all the other sleepy council members.

"So. Adam." Eden yawned as they sat down. "What is this important news that couldn't wait until morning?"

Adam glared at her. "The titans have located our camp in Boston." He said grimly. That jolted Eden awake.

"How?"

"We don't know." Apollo said grimly, and Eden sighed.

"How many?"

"Again, we don't know. But since this is a rebel camp, probably… a lot. They know you aren't there, though, so not as many if they found us here." Adam said.

Eden shot him a look. "I feel so special." Peter snorted.

Julie drummed her fingers impatiently on the table. "The Boston camp holds about… three thousand, satyrs and human-like figures both. The Kansas delegation might get there in time, maybe. I bet they will attack within the day- and I don't think we can move thousands that fast. The itanstay timed it well."

Rissa drummed her fingers on the table. "We have some bombs, but we would have to fly across the whole fucked up United States to get there."

"We could sail down the Colombia and connect with the Mississippi." Poseidon suggested, but Hera frowned.

"In a few hours? I don't think the Mississippi connects with Massachusetts. That would have worked, though…"

There was a heavy silence.

"We can alert them now, anyway. They will have time to run." Eden said finally, hating herself as she said it. She hated running. If only-

"That is our only option." Gäldstrup said slowly, and Ferd groaned.

"I hate running. It makes my hooves itch."

"Thanks." Eden told him sarcastically. "I hate sitting here doing nothing. It makes my head hurt."

There was a grim silence. Tom finally booted up his lap top, typing out a coded e-mail.

_Itantay areay omingcay unray ownay._

They had set up evacuation plans- they all prayed that they would work.

O-o

Eden gritted her teeth, logging on to TNB Online, watching, and waiting.

"Anything yet?" Arianna asked for the hundredth time, and for the hundredth time Eden shook her head.

The sun was setting when it went online.

_Rebel camp destroyed!_

_The military was dispatched at Boston, Massachusetts, this afternoon to check on rumors of Rebel Activity. They found the camp and burned it to the ground, killing everyone there. Lord Kronos came personally to check on the matter, and is proud to announce that he thinks that this blow will make the rebels pause for thought. The base is rumored to be located in Seattle, Washington, due to several Emmerson-sightings in that area. _

_The reward for catching or giving information leading to the capture of the infamous Eden Emmerson is whatever you want. Yes, you all heard that right. Immortality? Breaking of a family curse? Money? A talent for the lyra? It can be yours. However, citizens are warned that Emmerson has had centuries of military training, and has homicidal tendencies. Anyone approaching her must be cautious. _

_Here is the last known video of Emmerson, from Venice, Italy._

It cut to a shot of her in the Piazza San Marco, Venice, fighting off evil, killer pigeons.

"Homicidal tendencies?" Grinned Arianna, watching over her shoulder.

_However, key resistors such as Peter Johnson, the sixteen year old son of Poseidon who is Emmersons right hand man, the famed General Gäldstrup, Rissa, daughter of Ares and none of the hunters were found at this camp. _

The screen cycled through their pictures.

_Anyone who finds or gives information leading to the arrest of any of these peoples will win three trillion U.S. dollars, eternal protection, a one-way ticket to Elysium when they die, or something of equal value._

"Right hand man?" Eden echoed, outraged, "He is not a man, and he is _left handed._ Imbeciles. And he is seventeen."

"Yah. Hard to imagine that he is _your_ anything, except your brother." Mary snickered.

"Shut up, your Holiness." Eden told Mary, annoyed. Mary was from the twenty third century, when Christianity still was going strong. Her Name- and the fact that she was a hunter- was considered ironic, as her parents had been serious believers, though luckily Mary was not popping kids out of nowhere. And since it would be a son of god_s, _that would not sit with Artemis at all.

Eden slammed her laptop shut, frustrated.

"It said they killed them all." She said softly, and Mary stopped laughing. "Do you suppose… any got away?"

"Well," Arianna said slowly, "They said 'all that were there' I think some might have gotten away. There are no numbers in that podcast. Then again… we don't know if our message got there in time."

Eden stared at her laptop silently.

"Maybe."

O-o

_To: _

_From: _

_Subject: ostmay ofay usay otgay awayay_

_Otay; agentay000001 _

_Uckilyay ostmay ofay hetay eoplepay atay ouray ampcay inay ostonbay anagedmay otay escapeay hankstay otay youray arningway. Heretay ereway iftyfay eingsbay atay ampcay henway hetay itanstay attackeday. Heytay areay allay eaday, utbay ortunatlyfay eway tgay ostmay ofay usay otay afetysay. _

_Eway areay ownay atay hilidelphiapay. Eway oundfay aay lacepay heretay anday areay ostlymay afesay. _

_Oursyay_

_Agentay38506784_

Relief flodded through Eden as she read the e-mail. Their code seemed to work; something that would be laughed off and instantly recognized when she was younger now stumped titan officials. And thanks to , hacking was almost impossible.

(**decode the message in exact words and you get to choose the victim for the next Beta Reader story)**

"The bad news- we lost a fort. The good news- only a few dozen died. But they are mostly stranded. We need to send help." Eden told the council. Gäldstrup nodded.

"Yes. We will try and sneak them some food and weapons, but as for a safe place…" He looked at Ferd.

"Do you know what your kin in New England are feeling?"

Ferd frowned, tearing a paper plate into bite sized strips. "The itanstay have not been kind to satyrs. I think the odds are good." Tom wrote something down. "And so I think they can find help with the satyrs in North Carolina. If they can find them, that is. And that will be hard. But they have satyrs with them?"

Eden nodded.

"So they will have a good chance."

_Indfay atyrsay inay orthnay arolinacay._

She typed. The reply was quick.

_Hereway inay orthnay arolinacay?_

Eden looked up. "Where?"

Ferd frowned. "I think…"

"Tell the satyrs to follow their noses. Do they have any clear sighted mortals?" Hera asked. Gäldstrup looked surprised.

"Clear sight, milady? But…" He looked confused. The mist was gone- monsters had become part of reality for the mortals once the gods had come out.

Hera nodded. "Just because monsters can see mortals does not mean that the mist is gone, Greg. It is thin, yes. But no easier to see through then when Eden was young. The way to the satyrs is clear to those who can see clearly, but they are hard to find because the need for clear sight is gone. Do you know any?" The last question was directed at Eden, who shook her head.

"As you said, they are hard to find. They don't know they can see more than the rest of us."

Hera frowned.

"They will surface. In the meantime, let's find some supplies."

O-o

**What will happen? Are there many left? WIll they die? Will they find a mortal?**

**Stay tuned! the next chapter is written, so REVIEW or I wont post it. **

**Jon Pierce** - Thanks.

**Bubblegum11 -** I know. Mosquitos love me. no joke. If there is one within the mile they find me and bite me. TOURTURE!

**COMING SOON:**

"Well, here is my strategy. We have each person in this camp stand in the Labyrinth and see if they can see the path. If not, we think of something else."


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry for the wait. i have been writing something else and also had a large thing due yesterday, but hurrah for the weekend. I will finish fouteen. **

_"As you said, they are hard to find. They don't know they can see more than the rest of us."_

_Hera frowned._

_"They will surface. In the meantime, let's find some supplies."_

_O-o_

"I want to go." Eden said, and Gäldstrup frowned.

"Eden…"

"I never get to do _anything_." Eden knew it sounded whiny, but she didn't care at that point. Greg pressed his lips together. "And you aren't in control of me anyway. Who has a multi-gazillion dollar price on her head?"

That didn't help. "It is _because_ of that that I don't want you to go!"

"Hmph."

Eden turned away, marching towards the Pegasus stables where people were assembling food, blankets and weapons. She was thinking of all she knew about clear sight.

Usually genetic, but often occurs in random people

Clear sighted mortals often interact with the gods- and have kids with them. TMI.

_Usually genetic._

_Think, Eden._ She told herself. _What clear-sighted mortals do you know of? _

None came to mind.

_In the old stories. Ariadne. Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Sally Jackson. Barack Obama. Anne Frank. Adolf Hitler. Napoleon. Thomas Jefferson. _

She highly doubted she could find any descendants of Ariadne in this camp, or that the ability lasted thousands of years.

But a thousand? Maybe.

Did she know anyone related to Percy Jackson? She stopped dead, massaging her temples. No, that stuff was always followed carefully. And so Sally Jackson was out, too.

Barack Obama?

Obama… Obama… Obama… She doubted that the Obama's had lasted. Damn. So that was out. She wondered if they should just assemble the camp and say 'anyone know something, come forward now.'

Frank… no, they had died out.

Hitler… Hitler… no, she would have noticed had there been a Hitler. And anyway, she suspected that these things died out after several hundred years.

She thought the Jefferson line had died out before she was born, and Napoleon? Forget it.

Shit.

"Eden!" Peter jogged up. "Just loaded the horses, trying to figure out a battle plan. We will need to take the Labyrinth, because no way are a group of flying horses going to make it unnoticed. Kansas is going to donate; we will pick it up on the way, but they hit hard times and didn't want to risk recruits in the labyrinth; you know the rules. More people, more confusion. And maybe we can swing by Texas… they might have something."

Eden nodded.

"Do _we_ have a way of navigating?" She asked, and he shrugged.

"Well, here is my strategy. We have each person in this camp stand in the Labyrinth and see if they can see the path. If not, we think of something else."

Eden rolled her eyes.

"Nice plan." She said sarcastically, watching a satyr drag a big bag across the green, cursing. Peter shrugged.

"Come on, it might work. How else are we going to tell?"

"Jessica could see through the mist." Eden said quietly, remembering. Peter looked uncomfortable.

"But…"

"I know." Eden closed her eyes a moment. "Ariadne's string. We should have thought of that first. But… it's too late. Try your plan and see if it works… if not then we can raid the Titan HQ. but we are 

_not_ going in the Labyrinth without a navigation aid; we have a better chance over land. So come on, let's round everyone up."

"I thought Gäldstrup said you weren't to go." He said snidely, and she shook her head.

"If I want to go then I go. Greg is not the boss of me; he just tries to offer some sanity and reason."

"_Everyone, and this means _everyone_, to the green immediately. Everyone to the green immediately."_

The intercom said, and Peter jumped. Eden lowered her walkie talkie, as people surged past them, panicking, thinking that titan's were attacking.

O-o

"Do you know an entrance?" Mary panted as they ran through the short tunnel that connected camp to the woods.

"No. But I am sure there is one somewhere- there is a cave a ways back I want to look at." Eden called, climbing the ladder.

The two girls emerged in the quiet forces, hearts thumping. They tiptoed across the moss, jumping at the slightest sound. Want an adrenaline rush? Step outside your haven with a whatever-you-want price on you head and no army.

A branch snapped behind them, and they spun, only seeing a rabbit.

"Thank _umph_." Mary bit her tongue as she was about to utter forbidden words.

They hurried to the cave, and Eden examined it carefully.

"I thought that Deadaleus was dead, anyway," Mary breathed as Eden carefully examined the rock.

"He is- was- I don't know. A soul for a soul. They brought him back." Mary shuddered as Eden tapped a mark.

"_Here it is!_" She pressed the little triangle, and it lit up and they slipped inside.

They were in a long tunnel. Eden shuddered, turning to leave.

"This is the labyrinth- lets go." She muttered, knowing how time sped up outside. Gulping, Mary followed her out.

O-o

"I don't see anything." Muttered Derek, and Peter waved him out, along with the next hundred and eleven people. No one could see anything, until-

"Wait." The little girl narrowed her eyes.

"There is a sort of gold light leading down the left corridor. And then… there is green pus in a puddle over there." Hope pointed. "Can you see any of it?"

Peter shook his head, unsmiling. "We have found a guide."

O-o

"Peter- she is… four. Are you really suggesting we take a _four year old_ through the maze? What about her parents?"

"There was no one else." He said, and Eden trembled.

"What do her parents say?"

He hesitated. "They are coming too. They are not happy, but Julie would go anyway. And of course they are hoping someone else might see something when we are there." Eden swallowed, leaning up against one of the trees that surrounded the green.

"Fine." She said softly, closing her eyes. "But after this she gets extra training. This isn't- I would say fair, but then again, life isn't fair."

"Where did you hear that?" Peter asked, curious. "I knew that it was true, but people don't go around saying it." Eden opened her eyes, surprised.

"They used to."

Peter frowned. "What planet are you from, again?"

O-o

Hours later, they were ready to descend in to the darkness. Eden's heart thumped in fear as she carefully followed Hope down the steps.

"That way." The little girl whispered, blonde reflecting the beam of her flashlight, glowing. Her brown eyes looked at her mom, scared, and Julie nodded to keep going, hand on her sword.

They hurried down the passage when Peter stumbled and grabbed on to Eden for support.

"Ouch! Peter what the-"

"I tripped." He muttered, and Eden rolled her eyes.

_We can see that, but on what_? Asked Gi, and Eden knelt down on the wet cement floor.

It was a hat.

A New York Yankees baseball hat, faded with age and with parts rotting away. But the logo was still clear.

The Yankees had been dissolved hundreds of years ago.

"A hat." Said Jackie, leaning over pointing her flashlight at it. "How nice."

A memory stirred up inside her, but she couldn't place it…

She had seen this hat before. But where…?

Then it hit her.

O-o

"_Let us welcome to camp Half-blood some alumnis, who helped the world be what it is. Please welcome… Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson and Tyson!_

_Everyone cheered. _

_Nine-year old Eden jumped, trying to see. _

"_Here, Edie." Her older brother Leo put her on his shoulders. _

_Ms. Chase had something clenched in her fist._

_A hat. _

_O-o_

She had thought she just liked the Yankees, but as she looked Eden saw the name written on the brim.

_Annabeth Chase, cabin six._

What the hell?

O-o

**Jon Pierce**- Yes.

**bubblegum11 - **now you know. Origionally, it was a new character, or Bailey, but then I thought that this would make it more interesting...

**R. Hunter - **Do you play in the band or are you watching?


	14. Chapter 14

**I have fallen behind and so can't add a coming soon. I probably won't update in a couple days, i am really busy and my stock of pre-written chapters is empty. Bubblegum11, your Circe beta reader story is coming, I havent forgotten, but I havent had time. **

_She had thought she just liked the Yankees, but as she looked Eden saw the name written on the brim._

Annabeth Chase, cabin six.

_What the hell?_

O-o

"That way." Hope led them deeper and deeper in the maze, twisting and turning and sometimes looping back to find something had changed, a door would be in a different spot, or there was another way out.

_I hate this_. Eden thought miserable as fungus's dripped, soaking them. Eden was glad for it- their smell would be less obvious. But it was uncomfortable, and that was putting it mildly. Hope whimpered miserably as more fungus-droppings fell on her, and her mother put a scented handkerchief on her head. That was Eden's idea, taken from WWII.

Suddenly, Hope stopped dead, flashlight beam on a door in front of them. "There is someone there."

Eden ran the hat through her fingers, thinking. As much as she didn't want to put it on- it was the prime place for lice, and she didn't want them set loose in camp-, did this hat still work?

When no one was looking, she put it on. Nothing happened, until-

She pointed her flashlight beam at her body. Nothing was there.

"I am going to go check it out." Eden knocked her bow, which disappeared.

"Where _are _you?" Jackie demanded, eyes wide. Eden slipped, grabbing onto the wall for support. When you couldn't see your feet, it was hard to tell where they were.

"Wait here."

"_You sure about this?_" Gi asked, and Eden nodded, then realizing- duh- he couldn't see her.

"Hide." She hissed as she rounded a bend and went through a door that was cracked open, praying to whatever that they would listen.

She squeezed in, wondering if the low food supply was making her life easier- where sneaking was concerned. One of the guards looked around and Eden moved forwards as he reached into space, feeling. Apparently feeling nothing, he lowered his arm and Eden got a good look at the room.

It was low, with flickering torchlight making it look like a dungeon. There was a barred window on one side, and she saw the sea. Kronos and Lars were standing next to a tall fire, next to a struggling Hephaestus. A string was in Lars's hand.

"Tell us." Kronos's voice was like razors, sending chills down Eden's spine as she looked at his twenty one year old face.

Hephaestus snorted. "It has been five years, Grandfather. I haven't told you yet, and you think I will do so now?"

Eden heart thumped wildly as a snake bit her cousin hard on the ankle, making him flinch.

"We can make you suffer." Kronos warned, and the god laughed bitterly. Eden tiptoed up next to where Hephaestus stood.

"Oh, and what do you call this?" the Hephaestus demanded, beard burning with rage.

"Practice." Hissed Kronos, licking his lips. "You can tell us how automans are made, or we can throw you into this sacrificial flame. Even with an immortal body, it will hurt quite a bit."

"So will having an army of automans attack America. And Italy, or wherever we are."

Kronos laughed.

Eden jumped, locking her arm around the first guards neck and jerking. There was a snap as it broke, and the monster dissolved.

"What the…" Lars moved forward, and Eden shot. The opportunity was too good to miss. She hit him in the shoulder before cutting the god's chains and taking out the other guard.

"The big door." She breathed into his ear, lunging at Lars's who was snarling in agony. She yanked the string from his hand as he yanked out the arrow. It took him a millisecond for his mind to process what had hit him.

"A hunter's arrow! Block the gates!"

Eden drew her sword, and stuck it in the fire. The flames flickered around it, making it glow. Kronos pointed as Eden yanked it out.

The problem with invisible flames is that they are dangerous. Very dangerous. You couldn't tell where they were so you might end up sunburned and toasted. Or dead. She ran to where Hephaestus was kicking some guards in the soft spot, making them shriek. She pressed the blade into his hand.

A breeze blew in through the window, and the weak and flimsy hat blew off. She reached out to grab it as Kronos lunged.

Time slowed down.

She jumped, moving to the window. Hephaestus's eyes widened as he saw her, and he sliced a manticore in half. There was a boom and a flash of light and the side of the room exploded, showering them all with dust. They were in Venice. The bridge of sighs was below them, and a flock of demon-pigeons sat on top.

An arrow flew past her head, and Eden spun, plowing into a dracane. The monster staggered back, and Eden reached for her swords when she realized Hephaestus had it. She snatched her dagger and decapitated it.

Kronos dove for Hephaestus, literally airborne for a moment. Eden took a breath and-

_Ba-booom!_ Kronos was blown off track, and Eden jumped straight into the air to avoid him, leaping over a desk to avoid some disintegrating monsters.

Suddenly, there was a shout of "_Edenay, Ephaestushay, unray! Ownay!"_

Eden obeyed without a second thought as something small flew past her head. She hurtled for the exit, waving for the god to follow her. She had just reached the door when-

_Boom-ba-ba-ba-boom-boom_!

The whole room shook, and giant rocks fell into the canal below. Eden flung herself to the ground, taking shelter behind a desk.

Everything shook like an earthquake, swaying falling.

"Eden!" Jackie yelled from the exit, but before anyone could move the top of the tower- and everyone on it- went into a free fall, dropping towards the city below.

O-o

**Jon Pierce- **Thank you.

**R. Hunter - **I play in band, too.


	15. Chapter 15

__

The whole room shook, and giant rocks fell into the canal below. Eden flung herself to the ground, taking shelter behind a desk.

Everything shook like an earthquake, swaying falling.

"Eden!" Jackie yelled from the exit, but before anyone could move the top of the tower- and everyone on it- went into a free fall, dropping towards the city below.

O-o

_I am going to die…_ Eden thought as she spun through the air, _My last moments on earth will be in Venice, Italy. Floating city. How ironic._

Peter fell past her, screaming.

"Point your toes!" Eden warned, coming to her senses, spinning mid air and kicking a monster in the neck. It stopped moving.

_Nice, Eden. If you are going to die anyway, might as well… _she wondered why she was so calm. When you are about to die, aren't you supposed to have your life flash before you and scream and whatnot? She suspected that she had gotten so used to the idea of being a martyr that the actual moment of death was no longer scary. Maybe dying was like a play; you are nervous in those last few minutes before the production but when you are onstage? Nothing. She spun a few more times, landing a few more kicks before hitting the canal below the Bridge of Sighs with a _kersploosh_.

Bubbles flew up all around her, and she heard several monsters die on impact. Despite the obvious disadvantages, when you are falling from high up in the air into the ocean, being one of Poseidon's kids is a great.

"_Peter?_" She thought, waiting.

"_Here_." She followed the sound of his thoughts, reaching him in a few minutes.

"_How many died? Do you know?_"

"_I've seen what you've seen, Eden. Look out._" Eden spun, sword out. Somehow, the water didn't put up any resistance as Lars leapt back. She moved forward, thrusting. He blocked the blow, backing up.

"_Peter, cover his back. He can't hear us." _In one shot, Peter had curved around.

"Bad idea attacking here, shoulder-less." Eden said, the words mangling her voice. He kicked up from the ground, and Peter shot after him. Eden paused, realizing something. Lars was smart enough not to attack in their element, with a hurt shoulder. How the hell had he survived the fall? Something was weird here. Then she got it.

"_Peter! Come down! Do you copy?_"

"_I've almost got him!_"

"_NO! it is a trap! Come down. I repeat- Peter, come down._"

He came down. Lars looked around, and shouted "What, weenies?"

"What, stupid?" Eden called back up, but he couldn't hear her. her heart was pounding, and she wouldn't have been surprised if she had had a heart attack. Maybe dying was scary, after all.

"_What do we do now?_" Peter asked, turning and squinting.

Eden thought. What could they do? They were on the bottom of the canal. Their allies were far, far above them, probably \thinking they were dead. Hmm. They might, might make it to the Venetian fort. Maybe. But they had a quest to finish.

What the hell _could_ they do?

Answer: Call up a magical flying horse, maybe?

"_Gi!_" Eden called, hoping for an answer. "_Where are you?_"

"_up here, 100 feet above you, on the edge of a cliff, hoping not to be seen. They have guns." _

Eden thought a moment. "_I'll cover it. Go get Peter._"

"_You sure, General?"_

"_yup._"

She briefly explained the plan to Peter, who reluctantly set off when Eden threatened to tie him up and throw him.

Then she turned, kicking her way up to the surface. She peered cautiously out of the water.

The titan minions were perched on a boat, guns aimed at the Bridge of sighs. Eden frog-swam closer, praying they wouldn't notice her. Carefully, she drew her dagger and speared a hole in the bottom of the boat. Nothing seemed to change on top- there was the sound of a gun, and she took the moment to slice a gash in the bottom. More guns sounded, and she cut three sides of a large hole before they got their breath back. One more cut, and she fled.

"Look!" One pointed at the flash of blonde in the water, and they were overboard.

"_Gi!" _She thought, aiming for the Doges palace._ "Meet me by Piazza San Marco- now!" _

"_Roger_"

She frog-swam to the bottom, crouching behind a sunken boat that looked as old as she was. A group of armed scuba divers passed her, and she made a break for the surface.

It seemed a miracle that no one had noticed her yet, unless it was a trap.

"_Right above that old boat._" Gi said, _"But they see me. Twenty feet up. Do something dramatic and the others will get away_."

That was true. Eden took a deep breath, and the water exploded around her, sending her flying ten-twenty-thirty feet up. She angled her bottom and landed squarely on Gi's back behind Peter, before swinging her leg over his backside. Peter looked pained.

"Landed between the legs, huh?" Smirked Eden, knocking an arrow. He flinched and nodded. "Bet that hurt." Eden had made that mistake once, and only once. For obvious reasons. But in a hurry, sometimes it can't be helped.

Arrows flew at them, and Gi spun. Eden shot.

It didn't do much. Eden changed tactics. _"Gi- up!_"

He pivoted, shooting straight up as two military helicopters collided below them. They angled back to the bridge, but it wasn't going to be easy. Bullets flew at them. One hit Gi in the wing, and he spun out of control before regaining control.

"_Jump_." Said Gi nervously as they approached the Entrance.

They both waited, tense. Three…Two…One… Peter pushed himself straight up, hands on Gi's head and swinging himself over, legs spread out at the sides. He landed and took off. Eden followed, and Gi clumsily landed before galloping after her. They ran into the tunnels, and Eden did a head count. Everyone was there, if bloody.

"Come on!" She gasped, and Hope took off at a sprint.

"This way!"

They ran, finally coming out in a cement-like room, with dripping pipes over head.

"Will they follow us?" Arianna asked worriedly, peering out the door.

Eden swallowed, thinking of the string that had disappeared somewhere. Damn fucking hell hole in Hades.

"They can't" Jacie forced herself into a sitting position. "I got the string." She held it up triumphantly.

Well, that problem was solved. Eden cautiously healed the bullet wound on Gi's wing.

Hephaestus twisted a piece of metal in his hands. "We have a few hours, maybe, before they realize the string is missing. From what I can tell, they have not accepted that the Mist still exists."

And on that happy note, they tried to get some sleep. It wasn't easy.

O-o

**Honest101 - **Wowzo. Note to everyone else: Honest isn't all bad. : )

**InkSTink **- Like I said on ch2, no.

**Jon Pierce - **What does Cocky mean?


	16. Chapter 16

**The next chapter will probably skip a few years. I am about one third of the way through the war at this point in time. I think the finished story will be around 30 or so chapters, but I am not sure. I thought up an ending... finally. I didnt update yesterday because I was reading election results : ). **

_Hephaestus twisted a piece of metal in his hands. "We have a few hours, maybe, before they realize the string is missing. From what I can tell, they have not accepted that the Mist still exists."_

_And on that happy note, they tried to get some sleep. It wasn't easy._

Kronos paced angrily in front of the guards.

"And Hephaestus is missing." He looked accusingly at a mortal, who tried to make himself f looks as small as possible.

"Yes, sir."

The Titan Lord turned, murder in his eyes.

"And Emmerson got away. Again." His voice was quiet, deadly. The dracane nodded again.

"Yes. Her and her crew."

Kronos inflated to full titan size, his twenty one year old face, so much like Lars's, twisted with rage as the dracane smoldered into a little pile of soot on the floor.

"But we can still catch them." He turned to another mortal, who shivered. "Where is the string?"

The mortal swallowed. "Missing, sir."

"WHAT?!" Kronos's eyes turned red, his face twisting in rage. Steam drifted off of him as the force of his anger caused the sea water that still clung to him to evaporate.

The mortal trembled, thinking desperately of his wife and son. "They…" his voice shook meekly, "The… um, well, Emmerson…" He swallowed, trying to calm down. It was Lars's fault, after all. "Emmerson pulled it out of Mr. Castellan's hand, sir… I saw it fly through the air. I don't know… there is no way she could have held onto it in that fall."

He turned to Lars. "Is this true, Castellan?" Lars paused, then nodded.

"Eden shot me, invisible. I don't know how she did it. But she was invisible. And she shot me. And I couldn't see it, because she was invisible."

"I _know_ she was invisible. It was a hat. An old hat. But it is true you don't have Ariadne's string?"

"No, lord."

The building shook as Kronos let out a scream of rage. The mortals all dropped to their knees, hands over their heads as rocks fell from the ceiling.

Lars raised his shield over his head.

"_you will find her. Search every _inch_ of the labyrinth. Do you hear me?_" Kronos bellowed, and the mortals all nodded, whimpering in fear. "You will bring them all back, alive or dead. Except for Emmerson- she is wanted _alive_. The reward will be great. And to keep you motivated…." Kronos snatched up the offending guard.

"Lisa." He whispered as Kronos ripped his head off, throwing the two pieces of him into the crowd.

"If _any _of you come back empty handed, you will meet the fate of this mortal. _Is that clear?_" He turned firey eyes to a small clump of mortals, and they exploded. "_Is that clear?_" another segment of mortals met their deaths under his gaze.

"Yes, sir." Chorused the frightened soldiers. Kronos eyed them, then cracked a whip over his head that had appeared out of no where, swatting a whole regiment to the door. They fell in a heap, screaming.

"_GO!_ And don't come back without the string, or Emmerson, or Johnson. Gäldstrup would be find, and _find out how they made it this far._"

The soldiers fled into the labyrinth, wondering if the ones who died were the lucky ones. For the rest of them would certainly perish in the tunnels.

O-o

**A short one, but necessary, I think. I dont want this to be a story that could be told in the first person but isn't. (Where it all centers around the main character and calls them 'she' all the time.)**

**InkStink - **I don't know. BUt he was only 21 in the BOTY, so it could be anyone. Not Annabeth, if thats what you are wondering...

**bubblegum11 - **Thanks.

**Honest101 - **those are known as typos.

**Jon Pierce - **Why thank you.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hi, there will be a longer wait for the next chapter because I haven't started yet. Should get more intense-ish, though. I thought I had posted this awile ago, so sorry i didnt update. **

**O-o**

_"GO! And don't come back without the string, or Emmerson, or Johnson. Gäldstrup would be find, and find out how they made it this far."_

_The soldiers fled into the labyrinth, wondering if the ones who died were the lucky ones. For the rest of them would certainly perish in the tunnels._

Spokane, 3006

Parslow Jacoby unlocked the door to his house, sitting down at the kitchen table. School was out in one more week. High school was almost over. Then he was off to college. He had been accepted my Krono Academy (AN: Like Williams is today) he was planning to major in computer science. There wasn't much else he _could_ do in his physical state.

Parslow stretched out his stiff knee, rubbing the scar that had stopped him from skateboarding. Ever again.

It had happened a week after Derek vanished on him. He was doing the half pipe, alone. It had never been the same without his best friend there to taunt him. He had been thinking of this, and lost concentration. He fell.

All he could remember was extreme pain, and a stern looking doctor saying he was never, ever to board again.

Parslow unzipped his backpack, hauling out his three ring binder of homework. Even though school was almost out, they hadn't been nice about the homework.

As he pulled it on the table, his eyes found the empty house across the street. No one had moved in. he had broken in once, and found… everything working as usual. Most of Derek and Bailey's clothes were still in the drawers. There was still food in the refrigerator. Nothing was missing. If Parslow had looked very closely, he would have found all his friends school crud in a heap in the closet. His skateboard was missing. A fine layer of dust covered everything- probably inches thick by now. They had vanished.

When he had been mad at his parents, sometimes Parslow had slept in Derek's couch. The bed had still been rumpled from the last time he had slept in it- and Parslow hadn't wanted to mess it up. But he hadn't been there in years.

At first he had thought of his friend every day. Loneliness, sadness, and curiosity ruling his life. Of course the police had interviewed him- well, taken him forcibly into court and demanding he tell them everything. He had known nothing, and their lie-sensor told them so.

But slowly, he stopped thinking of him a million times a day. Now he thought of them maybe once, or twice.

He still wondered.

He reached for his homework when the newspaper caught his eye.

_Rebel attack on slave auction!_

It announced, and his curiosity pushed him forward. He knew he should get a start on his homework, but this seemed worth it. There had not been a big attack in a long time.

He unfolded the paper, taking a yogurt from the refrigerator. He started to open it, then froze.

The picture was of a group of rebels fighting in the town square. There was a black haired boy in the front he knew to be Peter Johnson. He vaugly recodnized a hunter in the background. The crowd was apparently freaking out, the slaves being led to freedom by rebels who's names Parslow did not know. Eden Emmerson appeared to be MIA.

That wasn't what had caught his eye. What he had seen was the tall, brown haired boy fighting alongside Johnson. The shape of his hazel eyes, the look on his face. The look he had had when concentrating, trying to pull off a new trick.

It was Derek. Older, stronger, more battle worn. But defiantly the same Derek, the one who didn't care much about politics, the one who's whole life had been boarding.

Not anymore, apparently.

O-o

"Oh, to hell with it." Eden twisted the knob on the water pump harder, and finally a trickle of water came out. She collected it in a cup, wiping sweat off her brow.

"Humph." Peter leaned up against the side of the armory, annoyed. Eden had beat him when they were sparring. Again. He knew he should be used to it, but it was still kind of embarrassing to be defeated by your sister who looked four years younger than you.

Eden grinned. "Get over it. It has been six years. You should be used to it by now." She took a much needed gulp of water.

Peter sighed. "I asked Adrian out yesterday."

Eden spewed water all over her shirt. "You did _what_?" She demanded eyes wide. Peter blushed slightly. Eden's no-romance beliefs had made the whole ordeal more embarrassing then it would have been if she was normal. Then again, a one thousand year old sort-of half blood hardly qualified as normal. He had wanted to tell her himself, because if he didn't and she found out she would probably kill him.

"Well, I did. And she said yes, by the way."

"She's _eighteen_."

"_I'm _eighteen." Peter pointed out, and Eden stared at him. She had forgotten he was growing older- she hadn't really noticed before. And no girl would say no to having a world-famous boyfriend.

"Whatever." Eden huffed, re filling her cup since most of the water had gone onto her shirt.

Time really was passing, she realized. Hope had had her fifth birthday party last week. There had been more babies born at camp- some she was sure were half-bloods. They had recruited a few titan half-bloods. It was hard to trust them, but Eden had pointed out that the titans had half bloods on their side. They could do the same. The most interesting one was Jack, son of Kronos. It was 

awkward, because he was Poseidon's half brother. Which made him Eden's uncle, something she never brought up.

Life was changing. So was the world. They were still recruiting. They always would until this war was won. The ex-new Englanders had set up in Pennsylvania. Hope had led them there. And the titans could no longer use the labyrinth.

Life was going on.

More time passed.

**Monster - **Huh? Drama Lama? um, ok.

**Honest101- **When I get a chance. where was it, again? ha ha.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi, I have gotten to the interesting part here. There is a reason that this is rated T, FYI. I won't tell you what, but in about four or five chapters it gets pretty dark and mildly adult. Be warned. **

_Life was changing. So was the world. They were still recruiting. They always would until this war was won. The ex-new Englanders had set up in Pennsylvania. Hope had led them there. And the titans could no longer use the labyrinth._

_Life was going on._

_More time passed._

_O-o_

January 1, 3007

"Happy New Year." Peter said dully, leaning against the side of a post. "Sevens are supposed to be lucky."

"For us, or for them?" Eden said snidely, stringing her bow.

Peter shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Who indeed."

O-o

February 17, 3007

Eden landed lightly on the grass, jogging across the lawn with Jackie, Arianna and Peter close behind. They had just learned to use some flying sneakers, invented by Hermes who had escaped on his own from the labyrinth last month. He knew lots about what was going on, and they had almost located Artemis.

Of cource, how they were going to storm the labyrinth was an issue that they had not yet decided.

Jackie glanced around nervously, hurrying them along.

"Come on," She hissed, and Eden stared at her a moment, but hurried all the same.

The family was waiting outside on the back deck. The oldest girl looked about sixteen and was holding a toddler in her arms. A girl that looked ten or so was standing next to her, tears streaming down her face.

The parents were tall and yellow haired, like their kids. They were so similar that Eden wondered if the parents were siblings.

"Hello." The woman whispered

"Hi," Eden breathed, looking around, checking for guards. It was eerily quiet. " Ben Amarillo, and…" She knit her eyebrows together, looking at the woman.

"Lola," She supplied. "Lola Amarillo. And these are Daffodil, Dandelion and Buttercup."

Eden looked at the oldest girl a moment, and recognized her. "Dil!"

Dil's eyes widened. Eden Emmerson had probably met millions of people, and actually remembered her name? Woah.

"We gotta go." Jackie glanced at her watch.

"Since when have _you_ been Ms. Punctual?" Eden muttered, passing out winged sneakers.

Jackie ignored her, eyes scanning the sky.

Eden gave them a few pointers, then turned. "_Maia!_" They lifted off.

O-o

"So," Eden asked Dil, dropping back a little. "Tell me, is it a common practice to name your children after yellow flowers?" Dil cringed.

"No. We never go by those names- everyone calls Dandelion Lion, except for our dear parents. And if she pisses us off, this is Butt." She gestured to the child in her arms, "But to most people she is Terri. But_ter_cup. It was the best we could do…" She sighed, and was about to say something else when Peter sounded the alarm.

"There are two helicopters coming straight at us." Eden pulled back on her bow, turning. Jackie and Arianna knocked arrows. Dil felt the rock in her pocket and wondered, seriously if she was about to die. Terri started to cry, and Lion cried harder.

Mr. and Mrs. Amorillo drew knives.

A net flew at Eden out of no where, and she raised a fist. The net exploded into dust. A winged monkey like thing (they _so_ lacked imagination) lunged at Arianna. She stabbed it, and another caught her sword arm, spinning her around and pulling her to him.

"No!" Eden shot through the air, slamming her feet onto his neck. He shook himself, raising a needle to Arianna's neck. She went limp as the monkey thing dissolved. Another monkey took the unconscious hunter, tying her arms and feet together. Eden aimed at him, panic filling her. They were _not _going to take Arianna. It was her job. Three of the hunters were already dead; This was her responsibility. She couldn't let Artemis down.

She hurried after it.

A flying snake shot at Dil, who was better then Eden had thought. The girl threw a rock, still managing to keep hold on a screaming Terri and hitting the snake between the eyes. "HA!"

It vanished.

"Good one!" Peter told her, swooping down to avoid being vaporized by a venom spitting rat.

Before Eden could move farther, a hoard of flying creatures swarmed her. She swung her sword, and through the small clearing she saw Jackie, conscious, being hauled on board a helicopter kicking and biting.

"JACKIE!" She screamed, slicing a winged reptile in half. Jackie tried to answer but the hatch slammed shut. Monsters fell down dead beside her, and Peter moved in to help her.

There was a flash of white light as Eden's emotions got out of hands, and she choked on the dust. Finally, the night was clear again as the helicopter fled before Eden could go after it.

And Jackie and Arianna were gone.

O-o

"I'm going after them." Eden turned to where the helicopters were touching the water below them. Even from far away she could see them changing, just like transformers.

Peter crossed his arms. "No, you aren't. you are coming with us back to camp, and we are discussing this _logicly_."

"You sound like Gäldstrup." Eden snapped. "Eden, don't do this. Eden, stay here. Eden, let other people do this. Eden, it is to dangerous." She mimicked in a high voice. "This is my fucking job." She flung her backpack at him. "If I am not at camp in a week, don't come looking for me." She bit Peter's hand, making him instinctivly pull back, glaring at her. Eden ignored him and dropped to the ocean below.

Lion wailed, rubbing blood off her cheek. Mrs. Amarillo took a deep breath, watching the small blonde dot hit the ocean.

"She'll be fine." Peter said doubtfully, looking positively freaked out. "They only want… her. Notice they didn't go after you guys much. They want her alive." He didn't bother to bring up the pills he knew Eden had hidden. She knew as well as he did that Titan punishments were worse than death.

O-o

Eden twisted, trying to keep the helicopter-turned-submarine in sight. Dirt, derbies and garbage made it hard to see. Luckily, she was a good swimmer. No, duh.

They turned another corner before she was spotted.

Swarms of snake like creatures and goblin like things shot out at her, and she swam faster. When you have no chance of survival, run. That was a ground rule. But there was nowhere _to_ run.

A goblin thing grabbed her ankle. She flipped onto her back, curling forward and stabbing her dagger into his (its) back. It vanished, and she swam faster. A snake curled around her middle, and she sliced it off.

But as more and more poured out at her, panic filled her body. She couldn't die. She couldn't leave Arianna and Jackie in the titan's hands. She couldn't leave the resistance leaderless. (Well, Gäldstrup would fill in for her) she could die right before Artemis might be freed.

She couldn't let them down.

And, to put it bluntly, she really didn't want to die.

Especially the painful death that Kronos would give her.

But there were to many. She had to give up on following the submarine, just for self defense.

A snake curled around her leg, but before she could get it off one blocked her arm, and in the second that it took to kill it a goblin thing wrapped around her middle. She took a deep breath, and _bam. _

The water glowed white, and the monsters were blown back. She made another break for where the submarine was vanishing into the gloom, but before she made it fifty feet a group of merpeople shot out at her. They were armed.

She killed about fourty. Fifty, her blade a metallc blur in the water.

But here, there were hundreds, all with those little needles. Eden's blade flew, and she disarmed several. Dozens. Finally, one got an arm around her, and she glowed white. He flew back. A net shot out at her, and she thrashed like a... dolphin in a tuna net. She didn't have enough stamina left to disintegrate it.

_I'm sorry, Artemis, _she thought, stabbing her sword out and spearing a merman in the gut. _I tried. I really did._

She dropped her sword as a needle found her neck, and everything went** black.**

And just for the record, she couldn't think either.

O-o

**Where is she? are Arianna and Jackie dead? Is there more then there appears to this plot? Will Peter and the others make it back to camp alive? WIll this story have a happy ending? (Better not tell you now) Keep reviewing or I wont tell you!**

**sings to the tune of the cancan and does the dance Re-view Re-view-Re-view **Re-view re-view-re-view **Re-view Re-view-Re-view Re-re-re-re-re-re-re-view...**


	19. Chapter 19

**No action here, sorry. Next chapter will have more. **

I'm sorry, Artemis_, she thought, stabbing her sword out and spearing a merman in the gut._ I tried. I really did.

_She dropped her sword as a needle found her neck, and everything went** black.**_

_And just for the record, she couldn't think either._

_O-o_

Peter leaned his head against the brick wall of the council room, mind speeding. Where was Eden? It had been a day. She should be back by now; she was a good fighter.

But she wouldn't be, he knew. He had _felt_ her loose consciousness in the water. He knew that the titans had her. He wondered if she would live.

His hand still hurt from where she had bit it the night before.

Eden… a tear ran down the bricks, staining them. It wasn't fair. They should have won by now; seven years. Seven years of war. He was tired of it. He had to find Eden. They couldn't survive without her, Peter knew. She could say they could all she wanted; it wouldn't do any good. Fuck them and their horses.

Adrian put her hands on his back, kissing his cheek lightly.

"You'll find her." She whispered quietly, dark auburn hair tickling his cheek. Eden had not exactly accepted their relationship; and was extremely resentful of the time it was taking up. But then, she was a hunter, Adrian knew, and she didn't want to die either.

Peter doubted that they wood. According to Jack, son of Hades, she wasn't dead yet. But he _knew_ about the little jar of pills hidden under her pillow, on her person. If she wanted out, it would take a minute for the poison to seep through her body and kill her.

He prayed she wouldn't.

O-o

Eden opened her eyes, and blinked hard. She wondered for a moment if she was blind. Where was she? Oh… the fight came back to her.

_Fucking bullshit_. She thought, sitting up. Why couldn't she see? She felt a cold stone floor below her, and something was cutting into her ankle. She felt for it, and touched cold metal. She ran her hand along the chain next to it until she hit wall, and felt a screw.

They had chained her up, it seemed. At least it was only one ankle.

Suddenly, panic filled her. _Titans HQ. Arianna. Jackie. Titans… Titans…_ she closed her eyes a moment, shaking. She must stay calm. She would still exercise, in case she found a way out. She could take Arianna and Jackie with her. Where were they? She hoped they were… as okay as could possibly be. Like, not dead. Or raped. Or mutilated. Or the later two. Or all three.

Trying to push all those thoughts out of her mind, she stood slowly, hands over her head. She was probably on camera- hell, maybe on live TV. She found she could stand up, and had about six inches of space above her head. She crawled across the floor, trying to get the dimensions. She came up with; about five feet in either direction. There was nothing on the floor, and her chain let her move about four and a half feet. She moved back into the corner, trying to concentrate. The cuff rubbed hard against her 

ankle, rubbing the skin off as she moved. It stung. Before she could do anything else, a hole appeared, light flooding through it. It was murder on her eyes, which she slammed shut. She heard something being slid into the room, and the light vanished.

It seemed she was not blind after all. She felt forward, identifying a bowl, and another bowl. She sniffed cautiously. One held water, and the other some food like substance she could not identify.

It was probably a truth serum or something equally unpleasant. She retreated, deciding to starve first.

Or…

She slid her hand up her shirt, wincing at its coldness against her chest. She withdrew the pills and brought them to her mouth. She held them there, shaking.

Did she need to do this? Probably not. They hadn't hurt her yet, or anything. If they tried to do something really bad, then she would die. But now, it wasn't necessary. She put them back, still shaking from the enormity of the choice. She could die whenever she wished, she just had to swallow a pill. She tried to control her pounding heart.

_I could be dead by now._ She thought, scared at what she had almost done. In some ways if was comforting. The titans could control her emotions, but she could control her body. She could die in forty seconds if she wanted. She could not eat if she were so inclined.

But Jackie and Arianna needed her. She was no use dead. Peter would kill her.

_You could see Thalia again_.

But no, she didn't want to. She wanted to live, for now. She closed her eyes, leaning back against the wall, trying to ignore the pain in her foot and the sting in her neck from where the needle had jabbed her.

O-o

Dawn squeezed her pillow harder, shaking. No, it wasn't true. Eden, Arianna and Jackie were _not_ all gone. They were still alive. They would come back.

She cried harder, imagining all the things worse than death that the Titans would do to them.

Mary leaned against the wall, eyes closed. Her grief was well beyond crying. Chloe curled up into a ball at the foot of the bed, and Ari stood by the door, kicking the wall over and over.

"Not fair not fair not fair." She said angrily with each kick.

No one bothered to say that life wasn't fair. They all knew it so very well.

There was a knock at the door.

"Go away, Peter." Chloe mumbled, throwing a shoe at the door.

"It isn't Peter. Open _up!_" Hermes bellowed, giving the knob another shake. "Open up in there or I will blow you to dust bunnies."

No one bothered to state the obvious.

There was the sound of a lock being picked, and the door banged open up. Hermes put his hands on his hips.

"Get. Out. Of. This. Cabin."

Chloe threw her other shoe at him, and he caught it in mid air.

"You are… fermenting in here. We are launching a plan to find them but you won't find out unless you _leave this freaking cabin._" He glared at them, and Mary glared at him.

"Is this true, or are you making us leave?"

"Both." Hermes said disdainful and yet still simpathetic, if that was possible. "You have five minutes."

O-o

**Wow... 64 reviews. Thats pretty good. : ). NOt like some stories with like 300, but still more then I have gotton on my other lame-o chapter stories. **

**Chinese Clown - **Thanks

**bubblegum11 - **Have no fear. I am not one of the authors that stops their stories. I am just getting to the good part.

**Swimstar - **Daughter of Athena has child with Poseidon. Eden is... weird. And, this was a big yet forgotton scandal at the time.

**De Hunter -** I dont know... Hecate, Zeus, Hades, Ares, Artemis, There were some listed on ch11, I think. Add Poseidon, Hephaestus and Hermes to that. They also need their minions, too. The Muses, I think, and the Furies and all them.

**Honest101- **Eden is mortal. Therefore, she is completly imperfect in every way.

_New contest; guss what Eden's Fatal Flaw is; guess right and you get to choose the next Beta Reader victim. _

_I am probably doing Artemis next, so choose someone else. _


	20. Chapter 20

**This chapter again switches around quickly, but I will do that. Long Live The Media. **

_"You are… fermenting in here. We are launching a plan to find them but you won't find out unless you leave this freaking cabin." He glared at them, and Mary glared at him._

_"Is this true, or are you making us leave?"_

_"Both." Hermes said disdainful and yet still simpathetic, if that was possible. "You have five minutes."_

_O-o_

"_**Emmerson and Two Friends captured!**_

_This morning at approximately 1:30 a.m., Eden Emmerson, Jackie Benefield and Arianna Susoi were captured in the Tacoma area. Their business there is unknown. _

_Peter Johnson was also present, but evaded capture, fleeing the scene quickly with five others, who are unidentified. _

_Benefield and Susoi were forced into a helicopter, which Emmerson followed. She was soon caught by our underwater scouts. _

_A third of them died in this fight, and how Emmerson lasted so long is a mystery. Even more were injured or disarmed. _

"_The whole thing has been quite embarrassing." Admitted Lars Castellan at about five thirty. He was not present at this battle, but was relieved to hear of its success. "We were alerted to their presence quickly, and outnumbered them. Some knock-out potions helped." He refused to reveal the nature of the injection, or how they found about the Venture in the first place. _

"_This is a turning point. With Emmerson out of the way, we expect the rest of them to fall soon." Said a soldier who wished to remain nameless. __**See Hunters, b2"**_

O-o

Mary stopped reading, throwing the newspaper across the room. Ferd ducked.

"Fuck."

Dawn crossed her arms, leaning against the window. Her eyes only focused a few inches in front of her face. "We have to find them."

"She didn't want us to look." Peter whispered. "She said not to look."

Gäldstrup sighed, shaking his head. "I am afraid Eden has no authority in this matter. I am afraid that we need her. We won't send many, we can't afford to…" he paused.

"I'm going." Peter said flatly. Gäldstup sighed, but didn't contradict him.

"Me to." Dawn spoke up, and again the General nodded.

"Me." Mary said.

"Me." Chloe said.

"Me." Ari said.

"No." Gäldstup said. "We can't send all of you. You're needed at camp."

"Oh yah?" Mary looked like she had a few things to say on that matter.

"Anyway, if everyone dies- including Jackie, Arianna and Eden, what will happen to the Hunt? Would Artemis really like to come back to find all her hunters dead?"

Mary hesitated. "We need to find them."

"No." Dawn said quietly. "Stay here, Mary. Chloe. Ari. We need you here."

Chloe shook her head.

Ferd chewed a poker card.

No one moved.

"Fine." Ari said flatly, sitting down hard. "But if Dawn dies, were going. End. Of. Story."

"I won't die."

"I'll go." Hermes offered.

"I'll go." Poseidon offered.

There was a pause. "Hermes should go." Said Dawn tentatively. "We might have to… pick locks." Poseidon relented, looking skeptical.

"Where will she be?" Asked Julie skeptically.

"We'll find her." Peter looked doubtful.

"We now have Dawn, Hermes and Peter going on this trip. Three is a magic number. Any objections?" Tom asked.

Ari, Chloe and Mary raised their hands.

O-o

For the second time that day, light entered Eden's room, and she covered her eyes. Just as quickly, the door closed. She blinked spots out of her vision as she contemplated the nothingness in front of her.

She felt someone move, and her body tensed.

"Lars." She guessed, and a sharp intake of breath nearby told her that her guess had been right. Lars was annoyed; the freak couldn't see. He had night vision goggles- he could see _her_… she was like a mutant.

She _was _a mutant. A freak of nature. She shouldn't be alive.

"Not so smug now, are you?" he demanded, then cringed. Corny. Corny corny corny. Why was he always _corny_ when around her? it was humiliating.

There was a brief pause. "Oh, really? Hows that dick healing up? Can you pee?" She said snidely.

She felt his fist coming, and ducked. He saw her and stopped just before he hit the wall.

"You can help us." He said in a cold voice that made Eden's insides quiver slightly. She wanted to puke.

"No _duh_." Eden was determined not to show any signs of weakness. "But that doesn't mean I will."

"You _will_. We can make life…" She could have sworn she saw a gleam in his eyes, even in the blind darkness of her tiny cell. "… _muy dificíl _for you."

Eden laughed bitterly. "You already do. Then again, I seem to return the favor."

She felt the fist coming, and her hand flashed out, digging her fingernails into the back of his hand. His other fist sailed out, and she turned her head slightly so it went past her and into the wall. He tried to pull away, and she twisted the arm. Hard.

She heard a crack.

"Bitch!" He hissed, and this time she missed and his fist hit her hard in the breast. She bit her lip so hard it bled, refusing to cry out.

The door opened again, murder on her eyes. Then it closed again, and all was quiet.

O-o

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"We will let you and your friends go."

The whip cracked across Eden's back, and she did her best not to make a sound.

"OK." She said finally, and the creature holding the whip stopped, excited. "Ok, I will tell you something."

She turned, looking straight at the camera. "I am not an idiot." The whip sailed past her head, hitting her in the forehead. It started to bleed. "You won't us go." She said quietly. "No matter what I tell you. And I won't. and wouldn't, anyway."

"Lets see about that." The monster said snidely. The fires around her seemed to grow taller. She was not in them, but their searing heat could reach her from the spiked chair.

Would Peter and the others come looking for her? she felt guilty wondering. They shouldn't, they had other things more important. They could die.

But another part of her, the selfish muscle that had not been exercised in awhile, prayed with all her might that they would come. She had to get out. She couldn't die in here.

O-o

It was chance, pure chance, that they located her.

The rescue mission was standing off the the side of Pioneer Square, reading a map, when Peter's eyes fell on the TV in a coffee shop across the way. Eden's name popped up on the screen.

Checking to make sure his brown wig and contacts were properly applied, he waved the others across.

"_Officials say that, after two days in captivity, Emmerson may now be loosing her mind. She was talking rapidly in her sleep last night, a sign of fever."_ It cut to a shot of Eden, curled up in a ball leaning against the wall of a cell. It was cement, and her body was lit up which meant it was as dark as hell in there, Peter speculated.

"_imhay otnay asleephay." _The last word was sighed out quickly, and Dawn almost missed it. "_itantay QHay inhay ansay iegoday. Ellcay wotay hreetay onehay." _She shifted slightly and went still.

"What do you want?" Grunted a waiter, glaring at them. Hermes ordered coffee for all three of them, and they waited, watching the TV in anticipation.

"_Yesterday, she was put in front of the whole court. She still refuses to speak._"

It cut to a different scene, of Eden tied to a spiked defendants chair, in her 'unbelievably bored' mask.

"Yes, I will tell you something." She said drily. "Two words, both contain a 'u'. One with with 'C.K.', and one starys with 'Y' and ends in 'U'. the first word starts with the letter between 'E' and 'G'. Any guesses, gentlemen?"

The Waiter slammed down their drinks, and the screen changed to the weather. Dawn paid quickly, and herded the others out the door.

_I'm not asleep. Titan HQ in San Diego. Cell two-three-one.  
_

O-o

**Jon Pierce - **Thanks. And Take your time, I won't reval it probably untill the end.

**Bubblegum11 - **Yah, but if i go to fast it comes out bad. Like MOAH? That was plain crud. I now write the chapter, wait a day or two and re-read it before I post. It works well. (Thats a tip, people!)

**De Hunter - **Maybe...

**Musiclover33 - **Thanks.


	21. Chapter 21

**Haven't updated in a few days, sorry. I have the next chapter written, but I want some reviews before. Not like, twenty, but at least one because I feel like it. Remember, Fatal flaw contest is still up. Starting now, this is where things get pretty... dark. FYI. **

**O-o**

_"Yes, I will tell you something." She said drily. "Two words, both contain a 'u'. One with with 'C.K.', and one starys with 'Y' and ends in 'U'. the first word starts with the letter between 'E' and 'G'. Any guesses, gentlemen?"_

_The Waiter slammed down their drinks, and the screen changed to the weather. Dawn paid quickly, and herded the others out the door._

I'm not asleep. Titan HQ in San Diego. Cell two-three-one.

O-o

Lars paced angrily in front of the guards.

"She won't eat."

The guard nodded the affirmative.

"She has said nothing?"

"Well, yes. She saws-say-says-um, variations of 'fuck you' all the time." One whispered, bowing hastily, trembling in fear. "She also demanded to know what turnip truck you fell off of yesterday afternoon."

"Turnip truck." Lars glared at him.

"And what have you done to persuade her?" Kronos put his hands on his hips, fires running down his arms.

"Uh," Another guard said, frightened. "We have done everything but murder and rape her, sir."

"And why have you not done that?" The assembled minions shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, sir, if she was dead… she was supposed to be kept alive, you said. Dead bodies can't, um, talk. And, um, she is, erm, fourteen, and, um, most people don't want to… um, she, um…" The terrified mortal gulped. "We were afraid she would… um, kill us. Like, um, Lars. Um."

Lars glared at him, swinging his bandaged arm in anger. Kronos frowned.

"She is mostly undeveloped." Offered another hopefully. "We don't want to, um. Er… uh…" He stuttered himself to a halt.

Kronos stared a moment. "You are afraid she might kill you. And I might not?"

"You give us faster deaths, sir." One guard whispered.

O-o

Dawn led the way down some twisted paths, and they all crouched behind a tree. An army of… things… thundered past them.

"That was close." She muttered, standing again. Hermes nodded uneasily.

"Too close."

"And it hasn't even ended yet." Said a cold voice.

They tuned. The arrow left Dawn's bow before she realized she had shot. The dracane staggered back, dissolving.

"Too easy." Peter hissed.

_Eden, we're coming._ Dawn thought franticly, heart pounding from this close call.

They turned, flying through the trees, looking for something, anything that could get them to San Diego faster.

They didn't find anything.

O-o

"Stupid." Lars swung his foot out, and it collided with Eden's knee. It popped, and hurt like hell. Eden squeezed her mouth shut.

"Stinky" His foot swung out again, and she caught it, yanking. He flailed his arms to keep his balance,

"Bitch!" He hit the ground. Eden tried to move her leg; it appeared to be dislocated. There were so many burn marks and cuts all over her body; it was all she could do to heal the fatal ones. Why she bothered she didn't know.

The pills pressed against her chest. She could kill herself easily. One swallow. End this pain. It had been four days. Her stomach growled angrily, and Lars got to his feet.

She pulled her injured leg to her body.

"One day, you will realize that this is useless." He taunted. "Imagine a year here. Two years. Three years, even."

"No thanks." She said coolly. "You apparently didn't read the Greek Rules of Hospitality, where you are supposed to give your visitors lots of gold and good food and a ship to send them on their way. Haven't you read the Odyssey?"

He sneered. "We can kill you with a gold sword. Our food is good. And your ship will be a burial ship. If we even bother."

"Fuck you." She leaned back against the wall.

"Do you really want to?" He smirked, and her heart nearly stopped. No. no no no no no. Eden struggled to keep her cool.

"Do I look like an idiot?"

He laughed. "Hmm. Not so much. But you must be. A smart person would have told by now. A smart person would be free."

"A 'smart' person would be dead. You aren't going to let me go. You have tried every torture that exists. What else you got?" He smiled wider, checking his watch.

"Come. We are almost late" Oh, no no no. That was _not _supposed to be taken literally. What the hell were they going to do to her? there was some charm on the room; her sword stayed a safety pin and her bow wouldn't come.

Mind spinning with terror, Eden was hauled out of the room.

O-o

They dragged her down the hall onto a small balcony, overlooking a large room. There was a stage up in front, and an air of excitment. There were several important officials, all holding an invitation. Eden's heart clenched. Were they going to kill her- here, in front of all these people?

But no, they were leading some shackled people onto the stage. Were they going to kill_ them?_ Eden's knee throbbed, and she wondered how to get it back in place.

"Welcome." Smiled a blonde guy into his microphone. "The bidding will start for _this_ young man at 390. Do I hear 390?"

Eden swallowed. So this was a slave auction. Why were they taking her to a slave auction? Were they going to sell her, too? No, no one would buy her. She was to beat up, and anyway, no sane person wanted Eden Emmerson in their house.

A horrible thought hit her, and she looked at the slaves.

A wavy auburn head caught her eye.

The breath left her body, and her heart froze. _NO!_

It was Arianna.

O-o

Her heart danced the conga and she felt like she would pop as she looked for a way out. The three people in front of her sold, and it was all Eden could do not to puke. She didn't see Jackie anywhere, which was… good? Bad? She didn't know. At that point, she didn't care. Eden _knew_ where Arianna was- she had to find her.

"Bidding for… a hunter. Used to heavy loads…." Eden twitched. There wasn't time to think. With a pop, the chains around her ankles exploded and, dislocated leg aside, she flung herself over the balcony.

**Semi-cliffie. Will she get out? Will she die? Will_ Arianna_****die? Will _She_ get out? The possibilities are... almost... endless. Review! now! one click! **

**SCHOOLS ALMOST OUT! HIP HIP HIP HIP HORRAY!  
**

**but that doesn't mean you don't need to review. If you dont then I will hit you with Grover's reed pipes. **


	22. Chapter 22

**next chapter might be a little dull, but oh well. Deal with it. I WANT SOME REVIEWS!**

_"Bidding for… a hunter. Used to heavy loads…." Eden twitched. There wasn't time to think. With a pop, the chains around her ankles exploded and, dislocated leg aside, she flung herself over the balcony._

O-o

"Come on!" Hermes shouted, impatient.

The supernatural trio flew, twisting and turning through Washington State. They still had to cross the whole of California. They needed transportation- this wasn't working. Their only consolation was the continuing newspaper articles and TV broadcasts that proved that Eden wasn't dead. They didn't know about the other two, though Dawn swore they were still alive.

Peter still felt slightly guilty about that- he hadn't known Jackie and Arianna very well. Heck, he hardly knew Dawn. For him, the quest was more about Eden then her friends. He knew that was wrong, but isn't it selfish human nature?

It probably had something to do with his fatal flaw, but he wasn't sure. (**AN; guess Eden or Peter's fatal flaw and you can choose a Beta Reader victim.)**

He would kill the titans. Well, not literally- they were fucking immortal.

The group had stolen a car for about seventy miles before it had run out of gas, and only had one incident with fire-breathing oversized mice. So far, so good. The new perfume was working, but they all knew that the Titans would find them soon.

Peter was still pondering this when an arrow flew past his head.

He drew his sword. Dawn knocked an arrow. George and Martha struck a karate pose.

"_Who's there?_" Demanded George, saliva dripping from his mouth. There was a crack of a bush, and Dawn lowered herself to the ground.

"It doesn't sound like a monster." She said skeptically, narrowing her eyes.

"Dawn," Peter said hesitantly, "It…"

"Who's there?" Dawn repeated, and a couple sticks broke and there was the sound of running feet.

"Whatever it was, it's gone now." Hermes muttered. "Did you see anything?"

Dawn shook her head.

"Shouldn't hunters know better than to ask 'who's there'?" Peter demanded, and Dawn glared at him.

"It wasn't a monster."

"How did you know?"

"I just did." She snapped, "I have hunted for one hundred years, ten months and seven days. Trust me. I know what a monster is like."

"Um, ok." They hurried farther through the woods, whatever wasn't there still in their minds.

O-o

They couldn't afford to start a fire, but Peter found some beef jerky in his pocket. Dawn looked at it skeptically.

"How long have you had this?"

"Eh, dunno." Peter shrugged. "Two days? It's clean, probably. I haven't, you know, fallen in the mud or anything." He gazed at the stars.

Dawn's tounge flicked out, and she pulled it back in quickly, analyzing the taste. Peter popped a whole piece in his mouth.

"You gotta eat." He pointed out.

"Not this," She countered, looking around. Before Peter could say anything else, they heard footsteps. They all grabbed their weapons, jumping up. But all that came into came was a small, brown bundle. It stopped rolling, and shook madly.

Dawn moved forward slowly, and it jumped to it's feet, backing against a tree.

"Don't touch me!" it cried. "I haven't done anything! _Anything! _Get away! Don't tell them I'm here! I hate you!"

"We won't hurt you." Dawn said soothingly, shooting Peter a panicked look. Slowly, it started to calm down. Then Hermes took a bite of his beef jerky.

"Snakes!" It cried, pointing to George and Martha. "Don't eat me, snakes! Snakes!"

"Hush up!" Dawn hissed between her teeth, and it closed it's mouth looking terrified. 'it' turned out to be a boy, maybe ten or eleven years old. His hair and face were so dirty, it was impossible to tell what he looked like. He was bleeding in various places, and his black eyes were the only part of him they could see.

"We won't hurt you." She soothed. "We're not _them_. Who did this to you?" Her slow words seemed to calm him down. Peter realized she would have been a great babysitter if she hadn't joined the hunters.

"_They_ did." He wimpered. "Cas-Cas-Cass-tell-tellan. Castellan? And a tall person that had flames on his body. Castellan's brother? Monsters! Lots of monsters! They hate me!" He suddenly looked suspicious. "Are you working for them? Are you gonna turn me in?"

Dawn shook her head empathetically. "We won't." She couldn't tell him anything; for all she knew it was a trap.

Hermes breathed in quickly. "Castellan? Lu- Lars Castellan?" The boy nodded fearfully. "They won't find you here." He said firmly. "What's your name? Why do they hate you so much?" Dawn brushed the kid's cheek. Yes, he was a half blood. That much was clear. He felt like one.

"I am Al." He whispered.

"Who are your parents?" Hermes prompted, and Al blinked. But he was used to answering questions or facing punishment.

"I- they- Hades. My dad is Hades." He said shakily. "And my mom… my mom… is, I don't know. My mom is… I forgot. They don't care."

He squeezed his makeshift bow so hard his knuckles turned white. "Don't tell them I'm here." He whispered again.

O-o

Eden made it four steps. Kronos shouted, and everyone turned to her. Balancing precariously on her good leg, she knocked exactly three people out before another needle hit her. She dazedly saw a tall man with long white hair buy Arianna and half the slaves there before she passed out.

O-o

"Ugh." She said aloud, trying not to scream in pain. Her knee was badly out of place, and it was hard to think straight. She hoped she wasn't dead. Hesitantly, she turned, sliding backwards, trying to get as far from the wall as possible. Finally, she felt a slight tug on her ankle, and it scraped off a layer of skin. Eden closed her eyes, gritting her teeth and jerked. A cry escape her as the chain slid around. Nothing happened.

She slid forward, wrapping the chain around to peg again and again, to shorten it. Then she slid back for another try.

"3…2…1…" She muttered, bracing herself. It was extremely hard, mentally, to yank your dislocated knee. She jerked, and luckily, miraculously, it popped back in place.

It felt so, so good. She knew it wouldn't be in prime condition, but she could deal. At least she could walk. Then she, Arianna and-

Arianna. She had almost forgotten, in her own pain and darkness. Guilt bubbled like acid in her stomach.

Arianna. She had been sold. She would be, might be, Eden didn't want to think. Couldn't think. Where was Jackie? Was she already dead? No, she couldn't be already dead. That would be bad. No, duh. Why couldn't she think straight?

Was she getting sick? Was she dying? Was she going insane?

She didn't want to die. Maybe she did, a little bit. But she was too scared to kill herself, even through two little pills were freezing up against her. Even though she could if things got bad. And she would- if they got worse.

Damn it!

_Think. Think. Peter, Greg, Adam, Dawn, Jackie, Mary, Mary ,Chloe, Ari, Peter, Arianna, Artemis, Peter, Greg, Dawn, Mary, Chloe, Ari, Ari, Ari, Adam, Greg, Hope. _

She forced herself to picture all these people, trying to keep a shred of sanity. _Gods. Rebels. Seattle. Artemis. Dad. Athena. Peter. Dawn. Ari. Chloe. Jackie. Jackie. Jackie._

As if responding to her thoughts, suddenly, the door opened.

"Got visitors, Emmie." Teased one of the guards outside.

"Fuck you, too." She snorted. It was probably just Lars again. Lars or someone equally unpleasant character. Damn. She shakily stood up.

But she wasn't prepared for who came in.

O-o

**Swimstar; **lucky. We don't get out till tuesday.

**musiclover: **What do you want written on your gravestone? jk.


	23. Chapter 23

**Just so you know, Al was 3 at the beginning of the war, and now he is ten. He is _not_ scitzo. **

_"Got visitors, Emmie." Teased one of the guards outside._

_"Fuck you, too." She snorted. It was probably just Lars again. Lars or someone equally unpleasant character. Damn. She shakily stood up._

_But she wasn't prepared for who came in._

_O-o_

Hermes leaned up against a tree, watching the three sleeping figures next to him. Dawn was curled up in a ball, clenched so tight that he wondered if she would be able to get up quickly in an emergency. Al was sprawled on his back, mumbling in his sleep. Poor kid. Hermes didn't detect any evil intent in him- he seemed more confused than anything else.

The god shifted slightly, trying to stay alert. Gods didn't need to sleep much, so he volunteered to stay on watch all night. There were some benefits to sleeping. The first was that sometimes you figured out what was going on around you, or _going_ to go on around you- if you were Apollo. The second was time went by faster. He didn't want to have seven extra hours to worry and think about what might be happening back at camp, or forward in the Titan's HQ.

Suddenly, all his senses went on high alert. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Yes- there it was again. Something was moving. He reached out with his foot and nudged Peter, who opened his eyes. Hermes put a finger to his lips. Dawn opened her eyes at the same time a stick broke behind them, and something sailed right by Peter's head and lodged in the tree behind him. Dawn leapt to her feet, knocking an arrow.

Al awoke with a start, and Hermes sent a thought into his mind. _Don't move. Stay Still. Stay quiet. _Al's eyes widened as he looked at the god, who made a 'stay still' motion to him.

He did, until something flew past his head and the tree behind him evaporated. Then the kid started to cry. Dawn fired at the trees. There was a thumping sound, but not the hoped-for sound of a monster disintegrating. It was the sound of an arrow hitting a tree.

Something crawled out of the trees, looking like a dark blob in the dark. But as it got closer Hermes saw that it was-

"Frogs!" Al wailed, and Hermes shushed him.

A breeze blew the clouds off the moon, and Hermes saw them. They were a brilliant, electric blue, about the size of his fist. But as he watched, glowing green venom shot from one's mouth, and a rock next to Hermes's foot hissed angrily, turning to dust. He scrambled to his feet, turning. The frogs were all around them.

"Harpy shit." Hermes muttered, pulling out a dart gun. Al cried harder as the bush he was hiding behind belched steam. He ran… right into more frogs. The kid backed up, his screams turning into a high pitched shreik. He tried to climb up a tree.

"NO!" Dawn shouted, "Don't touch anything!" As if to prove her point, the tree he was reaching for crumbled.

Hermes swept a hand in front of him, and the frogs in the imediate area burnt to a crisp. But there were so, so many. In the faint light, he could see frogs swarming the woods, at least fifty feet.

"_Maia!_" Peter shouted, leaping into the air, spinning to avoid the venom-acid substance.

"_Maia!" _Dawn hurtled up, up, up, trying to get out of range.

"AL!" Hermes shouted, burning up the frogs nearest to the kid. Al turned, sobbing, and Hermes grabbed his hand.

"_Maia!"_ Hermes tucked George and Martha under his arm, despite their complaints. He swung the kid onto his back to balance the weight, diverting the frog spit away from them.

"Heads up!" Dawn warned, striking a match. She flung it down below them.

The first frogs to catch fire hissed angrily, running in circles, igniting their neighbors. It seemed that their dust was acidic, and trees vanished as they exploded.

Half the frogs turned and bounded away, to god knows where. No, not even the gods knew where.

"That was close." Dawn muttered, staring at the burning trees below them.

"We have to get out. This is like sending up a flare." Peter said, worried.

"Ah, I hate to break it to you, Peter, but we just burned up probably at least a quarter mile of forest. I think this is worse then sending up a flare." Hermes pointed out.

"They almost got us!" Al wailed, clinging harder to Hermes's neck. "I hate heights!" Hermes snapped his fingers, and ropes bound the young half blood to his back. "I hate being tied up!" he wimpered as they shot north, full speed.

O-o

Ten minutes later it started to rain. Not drizzle rain, but pouring, someone-is-really-trying-to-make-things-hard-for-you, pounding, hurricane like rain. Hermes magicked up rain ponchos for them, something Peter had never seen before- the more common garment was a battery heated Gore-Tex like material. Hermes's had an extra head hole for the shivering Al.

They did little for the cold, though, because Hermes feared that anything more powerful would have a better chance of showing up on Titan radar.

Peter screamed something indistinguishable over the rain.

"WHAT?" Dawn shouted,

"ARE THERE ANY CITIES THAT MIGHT HAVE AN ENTRANCE TO THE LABYRINTH?" Peter bellowed, and Dawn shook her head.

"NO! NOTHING BIG ENOUGH UNTILL WE GET TO SACRAMENTO!"

"HOW FAR IS SACRAMENTO?"

Dawn thought a moment. She had been in Sacramento twice, but usually they went via Utah. It had taken them three days to cross Oregon, and Portland had yielded no entrance.

"ABOUT 400 KLOMETERS!" Hermes shouted to him. Peter winced. Their shoes could go about fifty kilometers per hour, tops, and so that was eight hours to the next big city. And they would need to eat and sleep. And it was about six hundred kilometers from Sacramento to San Diego, according to Hermes the godly GPS unit. Which meant… about three more days.

Poor Eden.

O-o

They finally gave up an hour later, hiding under an old abandoned bridge.

"Where are we going?" Whimpered Al, pulling his blanket tighter around him as the storm raged above them.

Dawn hesitated. They still didn't know if Al was trustworthy, but Hermes thought he was. Anyway, if he was a titan informer- where else would the trio be going, anyway?

"San Diego, California." Hermes said firmly, and Al's eyes widened.

"Why? I was there once. San Diego is not a nice place." He seemed to have calmed down around them, and Dawn wondered what had happened to him in his earlier life to make him so scared and paranoid. It wasn't hard to guess.

"We have a friend there." Dawn said hesitantly, turning her head so he couldn't see her face. Al's eyes practically popped out of his head.

"In the Bad Building?"

Dawn nodded, and Al started to cry again. "Don't turn me in to them! Please, don't!"

"We won't." Dawn soothed him. "We don't want to go there, but we have three friends that need our help. You don't need to go."

Al whimpered. "Where would I go?"

There was a heavy silence.

**Hope you liked it. More about Eden and friends next chapter, but these guys are a little more interesting. REVIEW!**

**bubblegum11 - **I dont know. Just... Opening their mouths and looking fierce, I guess.

**Monster - **Al Larinku. Why?

**Jon Pierce - **Oh. Sorry.


	24. Chapter 24

_"We won't." Dawn soothed him. "We don't want to go there, but we have three friends that need our help. You don't need to go."_

_Al whimpered. "Where would I go?"_

_There was a heavy silence._

_O-o_

Eden stared in disbelief at the people in front of her. Her  
mind barley able to comprehend it.

What had happened? Why were there two people here? Had she been caught, too?  
What was going on?

All of a sudden, it clicked.

"Traitor." Eden said darkly.

Jackie lowered her eyes. "It wasn't exactly my fault."

"Oh, yeah?" Eden glared at the stranger next to her. His hands were on Jackie's shouldersThe torch outside flickered across the Hunter's face, and Eden saw there was something… different.

She looked more mature- a few years older than she had last week. As if she had…

Oh.

_NO_, her mind insisted. This could not true. But No matter how much she denied it, there was Jackie, aged eighteen, standing next to a person who looked suspiciously like he contained a crippled chromosome.

"What did you wish for? To be eighteen? Nineteen?" Eden's voice was  
deadly calm. Jackie looked at her, sullen.

_I don't really support them. I still hope you win._ Her voice echoed in Eden's mind.

Fuck _you, Jackie. We won't win now. Say that out loud and get the hell out of my head._

Jackie swallowed hard.

"I should have been Lieutenant," she said, trying to keep her traitor act up so as not to get blown up by certain Titans. "I was a hunter longer than you."

"Fuck you." Eden said again. "Is that what _he _told you?" She scowled _scowled_ at the _man_ behind her. "To give up everything you worked for the last seven years so you could Fuck what's his face?" Eden was determined not to cry.

"We could have stolen the bow back first," Jackie whispered, "But we  
didn't."

"And you don't care that this love is fake? Forced on you?" Eden's voice was cold.

"You haven't fallen in love, Edie."

"Don't call me that." Eden turned away, shaking.. But for all her trying, she couldn't bring herself to hate Jackie. Not yet. They had hunted together for hundreds of years. Feeling pathetic, she thought of the times when they had hunted for dinner together.

Jackie and the strange male character that Eden had no desire to turned to the door.

_Eden, please._

NO, Jackie, we might die. Do you know what happened to Arianna?

Jackie paused_. No,_ she admitted.

_They sold her. As a slave. Guess to whom?_

_I have no idea._

_Siñor Gonzalez. Guess what he's famous for._ Jackie inhailed sharply, stopping. The _person_ stopped with her, and Eden got a good look at his face.

He was tall and so pale that, if she didn't know better, Eden would have wondered if he glowed in the dark. Jackie being a dark person, they looked stupid together.

_I know. I didn't think they would actually—_  
_  
What?_ Eden turned, fuious. _Torture us? Kill us? Just stay the hell away._

_I didn't tell about the camp, Eden._

_Because your eyes would have popped out of their sockets and your tongue would have burned up. You would have__** died**__. Nobody breaks oaths on the river Styx, so don't give me that bullshit. You betrayed the mission. _Eden balked, a bitter taste in her mouth. Even thinking about it made her uneasy_. Go away before I kill you._

The last part was just talk; she wouldn't kill her. Jackie was her friend. Well, her former friend, though her mind still refused to grasp the fact. Jackie had joined the  
Titans. She was a traitor, and the reason she and Arianna might very well die.

The rain didn't relent for three days. They flew as fast as they  
could, but it wasn't enough. Even though somehow Hermes had pulled money out of thin air and gotten them all heated raincoats, the wind still slowed them down.

They stopped only to sleep; it was imperative they keep going. Dawn wondered if they would make it in time. Even though Al said that none of the three were dead. It wasn't very comforting as Dawn could list several things that the Titans could that were both worse and certainly more painful. Starting with R. She thought of Eden's pills and hoped that nothing too bad had happened.

Peter cheered, pointing to the city lights of Sacramento glimmering ahead of them. Dawn  
whooped, turning a summersault. But an hour later, the grin slid off her face. An hour of steady searching didn't offer an entrance, and she was beginning to lose hope. Morale was low, even when Hermes pointed out that they couldn't expect to find much in one  
hour.

They sprinted up and down the wide streets, taking random turns. The rain refused to let up.

Dawn sat down, frustrated and cold. "There isn't anything here." She said angrily, flicking strands of wet hair out of her face.

"There might be." Hermes offered, hoping impatiently from foot to foot. Dawn wondered if he had an internal heater/air conditioner.

"But there _isn't_. We should just take a train."

"Dawn, you're wet and tired. Come on." She only grimaced, making to stand and absently kicking the brick wall of an apartment complex in respite.

Hermes was about to say something else when a piece of mottled brick fell away, revealing a deep hole. Dawn furrowed her brow, bewildered, before squatting down to grab at another brick. It broke off with ease. Cautiously, the hunter stuck her head in the hole, wriggling in her flashlight and flicking it on so that a stream of light illuminated the crawl space.

"It's a tunnel." She declared, her voice echoing strangely.

Eagerly, Peter kicked away more bricks. After which there was a shudder, and Dawn jerked her head back, skidding out of the way. Hermes followed her lead. Peter looked  
around confused, jolting to life as a brick hit him in the shoulder. He ran, slipping on the wet pavement as the wall came tumbling down

O-o

**Yoshi - **I won't type your whole name b/c it is long. Anyway, thanks! (this goes for most of you.)

**guess0my0name - **commend?

**Jon Pierce - **both. There are no venom spitting frogs in greek mythology, though, as far as I am aware.


	25. Chapter 25

**Sorry for the wait. My Beta never got back to me, so I just went ahead and posted. **

**O-o**

_"It's a tunnel." She declared, her voice echoing strangely._

_Eagerly, Peter kicked away more bricks. After which there was a shudder, and Dawn jerked her head back, skidding out of the way. Hermes followed her lead. Peter looked  
around confused, jolting to life as a brick hit him in the shoulder. He ran, slipping on the wet pavement as the wall came tumbling down_

_O-o_

Dawn tossed Ariadne's string impatiently from hand to hand. Why, oh why had they picked up an anxiety prone ten year old? At the moment, he and Peter were sound asleep, reclining against a Christian mosaic.

_I should have just gone myself._ She thought angrily, glowering at the wall. _Why did I agree to go with a group of men?_ She knew that Hermes was not officially a man. She knew that she had probably only survived because of him. But Jesus- why did _Peter_ have to go?

_He's her sister._ The practical part of her brain argued. _He is a good fighter. He can swim. _Dawn shook her head to clear it, her damp blonde hair soaking the back of her shirt.

She knew Eden would be alive- they hadn't heard anything, and Kronos wouldn't want to kill her. Yet. But Arianna and Jackie were not as valuable.

_Well, Jackie might be._ She reflected. Jackie had hunted for almost one thousand years, and she and Eden were good friends.

Electing not to peruse that train of thought, she started fishing around in her pack for something to eat. Al rolled over in his sleep as the clear sound of footsteps echoed down the tunnel.

Hermes jumped to his feet. George opened his mouth and hissed, and Martha shushed him.

Dawn kicked Peter awake, who in turn woke Al. Al's eyes opened wide, and he opened his mouth. Dawn shook her head at him, readying her bow. Peter drew his sword.

There was silence, and then the footsteps started again, closer this time. The group stated to back away when Al's eyes widened in alarm. More feet echoed down the other tunnel.

Getting closer… closer… closer…

Then all hell- Hades? No, Hades was gone. Kronos. All Kronos broke loose.

A pack of hell hounds stopped at the doorway, growling, fangs bared. The smallest one was as tall as Dawn.

_Holy shit. They're growing._

On the other side, some traitorous half bloods- the half-titans weren't old enough yet- and mortal police had stun guns aimed in their direction.

"Ah _ha!_" Said Lars, stepping forward. His cold eyes slid across them, probably checking their faces against his… internal face book or something. One of the mortals said something excitedly in Swahili, gesturing to Al. Lars smiled, showing his gold implants.

"On an attempted rescue mission?" He said, puffed up like a male pigeon in mating season.

"Surprised you're not dead yet. The bigger the party the more likely you get lost, no?." Dawn countered, shooting Peter a warning look. Lars sniffed, wrinkling his nose. Hermes imitated him.

Trying to control the mad beat of her heart, Dawn studied their situation. Two exits were blocked. Their only hope might be if another one happened to pop up out of nowhere, which didn't seem likely.

_Ohmygodsohmygods. _She didn't want to die. Fear burned in her stomach as she realized they would probably die right here. Jackie, Arianna and Eden would die. The resistance would crumble because on one mistake.

_You can't afford mistakes_.

One of the hellhounds was foaming at the mouth. What an unpleasant way to die- killed by a rabid hellhound.

"I'm sure you would like to say hello to your friend." Lars invited. Dawn's stomach froze. Frien_d_? Lars smiled happily at the look on her face.

"And _you_." He frowned at Al. "you need to come home. It isn't good for little boys to run away." Al started to cry.

Dawn let her arrow lose. It hit him in the nose. Hermes shot her an annoyed look, just as Martha bit a Hellhound on the butt. It whimpered and vanished.

A jet of red light shot from George's mouth and half the hellhounds exploded. That reminded Peter painfully of Eden.

_What would she do?_ He wondered, jabbing at a half blood. Well, she wouldn't just stand here like an idiot, that was certain.

All of a sudden, the room shook. Rocks fell from the ceiling, smashing a hole in the Virgin Mary's face. It kept going, and Peter could see the crawl space where her head and torso had been.

Why, Peter wondered, Did they always end up _crawling_ underground? he hated underground spaces. Damn.

"GO!" Hermes shouted, grabbing Al. Dawn feinted at Lars's right arm. He moved to block it, and she disarmed him. Before she could do anything else, five hundred pounds of hellhound lunged at her.

Time slowed down.

Dawn felt like she was seeing it in a movie- not experiencing it herself. The weight on her upper body, the jarring of her head as she hit the ground. The crazed thought; _Am I going to die?_. The blood. All the blood.

Al screaming bloody murder. The rock falling, as if it were responding to his cry. The rock hitting the hellhound straight in the neck. The hellhound vanishing, it's fangs inches away from her own.

The relief as it vanished, the ability to get air into her lungs. The feeling that something was broken.

Trying to stand. Feeling like someone had stopped the clock. Feeling like there was no more sound in the world. Was she deaf? No, there was Hermes beckoning her to come on. She tried to move, and squeezed through the crawl space. Being slung over the gods shoulder. Her own voice, heard as if by someone else.

"No. I'm fine."

The darkness. Was she unconscious? Had she gone blind? Which way was up?

Following a string. A old ball of blue yarn. Why were they following it, again?

Stopping by a torch. The cold, cold stone behind her back. The sound of dripping fungi. Al's sobbing. What was going on? Was he hurt? Was she dead?

"Are you ok?" Peter asked. She heard her own voice answer reflexively, but it didn't feel like she was speaking.

"I'm _fine._"

O-o

**drum roll Another of just D H P and A. More about E and friends next chap. (no, her friends are MIA. Just Eden and un-friends)**

**bubblegum11 - **I don't know. Lots of people have that problem.

**musiclover - **Thanks.

**Look, guys. I want to hit 100 reviews. I won't post the next chapter untill I get 100 (most of the time I dont do that, but whatev. I found a story in the HP archive with over 2000.)**


	26. Chapter 26

**The chapter after this one might be a tad disturbing. So might this one. You have been warned. **

_Stopping by a torch. The cold, cold stone behind her back. The sound of dripping fungi. Al's sobbing. What was going on? Was he hurt? Was she dead?_

_"Are you ok?" Peter asked. She heard her own voice answer reflexively, but it didn't feel like she was speaking._

_"I'm fine."_

_O-o_

Eden closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, trying her best not to scream from the pain. Her fingers… someone was forcing them backwards… backwards…

_My fingers._ She thought foggily. It burned. She couldn't move them. She had tried. _Oh , gods…_

_Just tell them!!_ Her mind screamed.

"I repeat the question, Emmerson. Where-are-your-bases-located?"

It was too much. "SEATTLE!" She snarled. There was a snap, and she saw her fingers, bent, tangled as Lars squeezed them. Twisted. Her right hand. Her sword hand. Her bow hand. Oh, gods. She tried not to scream.

"That much is obvious." Lars's cold voice said.

Eden tried to force some saliva from her mouth. It was almost dry. She let herself cry at night. She drank the salt water- she could do it. But this…

"I will- for the twen-ty third time, repeat the question." Lars's voice dripped with sarcasm.

_Two can play at that game._ But god it _hurt._ More than anything. _Don't tell them, Eden… _she told herself. _Don't let them win. _

"EARTH!" What she had hoped would come out a determined snarl had risen to an E#.

She pressed against the cell wall behind her as he pushed her to her knees, the rough stone scraping her back.

"I am afraid you will have to be more detailed than that." Oh, ha ha. Lars's voice was as smooth as creamy Jif, and had lured other people into attempted betrayal. But the oath that they had all- minus Eden- taken rendered them mute before the words could escape.

The cold, damp cell seemed to shrink around her.

_DON'T LISTEN TO HIM, EDEN! _No. she had to tell him- this was too much. She had held up for days. She wasn't a god.

_They'll kill you anyway!_

Lars stepped hard on her hand, and Eden screamed. _No!_

"Get the fuck away from me, La-La!" The tally tubbies were far in the past by this time, but there was no mistaking the mockingness in her words. Shakily, she stood.

He punched her in the breast.

_Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww_. Instinctivly, she doubled over. She could _feel_ him smiling.

Careful not to move, she judged her position. Then-

Eden rammed her left hand into his soft spot, holding the right out of the way.

He let out a snarl, and Eden straightened up.

_Did I actually- _He rammed her against the wall, her head making a _thonk_ sound as it hit the stone behind her.

"I could take you to see The Lord." He hissed as she struggled. She brought her knee up, but he slammed hard on her foot. She heard something crack.

Eden had already seen Kronos, when she had first arrived. She had also seen him at the slave auction. By now, she suspected that seeing Kronos wasn't worse than Lars- surly it couldn't hurt _more_, and it might hurt less. Maybe. Kronos tended to use more of the creepy voice and fear tactic, though he wasn't above, say, slicing of limbs when the mood struck him.

So maybe not.

"You could, couldn't you." She said icily, hoping he didn't hear the quiver in her voice. "But then again, I don't know if he is very happy with you right now."

He never got a chance to answer.

O-o

Dawn felt a hand on her rib cage. Reflexively, her foot shot up, connecting with someone's chin.

"Hold _still, _damn it!" Hermes muttered. NO! what was he doing? Dawn squirmed, and she heard another foot hit… something. There was the sound of crying… Al?

"Peter- hold her feet."

"Get- off- me!" she bucked, and Peter squeezed her feet tighter. She felt a tingling sensation on her ribs, then he let go.

She kicked harder, and heard Peter gasp as she hit something.

"Dawn- be _careful_." What? She slowly opened her eyes. A dark purple bruise was forming on Peter's jaw. He rubbed it angrily. "_Watch_ it."

Dawn frowned. "Um, sorry." Something was wrong, she realized. Her hair was blonde again, not dark brown. That meant- "Oh gods, how long have we been here?"

"Three hours." Hermes said tensly.

_Oh my gods. Three- whole- hours?_ That wasn't possible. She struggled to her feet. "We have to go!" No one contradicted her, to her immense relief. For one of the first times, no one had told her to rest first, to gather up her strength. They knew as well as she did that Jackie and the others could die any minute. Jackie, she reflected, would have been great on this trip. She was strong- resourceful, everything that Dawn realized she was not. It only took one hellhound to keep her from killing Lars. She almost _died_ because of a _hellhound_.

_Fuck shitbucket son of a god damed bitch..._

They hurried through the tunnels, dodging the steady drip of fungi, following the blue string through the tunner. It sped up faster, faster, until-

"There!" Peter pointed. "Bad timing, Dawn."

_Jackie, Eden and Arianna could be free by now._ She thought sadly. _Or we could be dead by now, if I hadn't lost to a dumb _hell hound.

Cautiously, they opened the door a millimeter, and found long stone hallways. They were _inside_ the HQ.

"Lucky," Dawn commented, opening it a little farther.

She spoke too soon.

A guard pointed to them, hurrying forward. But of course, the survivors of their last fight must have alerted them by now.

"Run?" Percy asked quietly, panicked. Hermes ignored him, plunging a hand into his pocket.

"NO- we don't know where they are!" Dawn protested as he pulled out the small chemical packet.

"We have to risk it- the _whole army_ is here." He flung the BMD through the trap door, yanking Dawn and Peter down by their collars.

For a scary moment, there was silence. Then the whole building shook, and they could hear rocks falling above them. By some miracle, the labyrinth held up. Dawn remembered how you couldn't close an entrance- that had been frusterating, and now it was like a gift from god. _The_ god_s._ Or... well, it didn't matter.

Hermes jumpedup, wrestling the trap door, and the two half bloods followed him as the dazed monsters ran forward.

"RUN!" They pushed through rubble impatiently, moving forward.

_Eden? Eden? where are you? _Dawn flung out her mind, trying to make contact. _Jackie? Arianna?_

No one answered. They turned down a random corner, and all of a sudden a loud shirk sounded just above Dawn's head, followed by a flashing red light.

_Dawn?_ It sounded like Eden? Was she there?

_Edie?_ The group turned, and Dawn waved at them franticly. _Where are you?_ images flashed through her mind. A hallway, a turn, a cell full of shadows, Lar's face, half of it in shadow. there was a hole in the ceiling, apparently.

"This way, guys!" They dashed up a staircase, hearing footsteps behind them.

_"Maia!_" Dawn and Peter followed Hermes's lead, shooting straight up in the air over the heads of some confused looking mortals. Dawn's adrenaline was racing, her heart pounding faster and faster, so fast that if it generated electricity she could light each window of the Empire State Building- if it had survived the war in 2786. Which it did not- now Mt. Olympus was- had been- on Mt. Rainier.

Sudenly, Dawn's head started to ache, pain signals shooting through her head but not making contact.

Eden.

They took another turn, and found themselves looking at a... long stone corridor- or what appeared to be a long stone corridor untill she heard the cyclops voices in one of them. They hurried forward, listening hard.

_Which one are you in?_ Dawn didn't get an answer. Her hand throbbed a moment, then stopped. Voices seemed to echo in her head- ones that got louder as she got closer and closer to the end.

"This one." She said finally, to realize that Hermes and Peter were no longer with her. They were standing at one end of the hall, trying to hold off about a dozen assorted monsters.

"I got it." Al moved forward, studying the door. Then an unearthly hiss came from his mouth, and the door- and half the ceiling of the cell inside- fell in.

O-o

The building shook. Eden dove aside, shrieking as she banged her smashed hand. A rock fell where she had been standing, missing Lars by centimeters. Shards of stone flew from the door, one hitting Lars in the shoulder. He winced.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" there was another rumble, and a fist sized obsidian lump hit him on the back of the head. He fell forward, and the door caved in.

"Eden?" Was that- Dawn?

_Holy shit._ She thought dazedly, her vision fuzzy. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Edie?" She shook her head, trying to breath.

Lars was standing up slowly.

"Geddim." Eden breathed, trying to get to her feet. There was a short dark haired kid at the cell across from her, doing gods-dont-know what. Dawn pulled her out of the cell, and she leaned against the wall, testing her leg to see if it would support her weight.

It would, but not for long.

O-o

**drumroll Review, guys! Next chapter also more intense, and the one after that. In the coming chapters it gets a little- a lot- darker and potentially disturbing. You have been warned. **

**Thanks for reviewing! Not time to review replys right now... sorry. **


	27. Chapter 27

**I want reviews before I post the next chapter... which is partly written. Eh, things get pretty dark around this point- death, morbidity, etc.,**

_"Geddim." Eden breathed, trying to get to her feet. There was a short dark haired kid at the cell across from her, doing gods-dont-know what. Dawn pulled her out of the cell, and she leaned against the wall, testing her leg to see if it would support her weight._

_It would, but not for long._

O-o

Feet- sharp breaths- the feeling of being about to collapse. Stone. cold stone walls. Eden's vision seemed to sharpen with adrenaline, forcing her body forward.

Because, of course, she could _not_ let herself be slowed than her brother. Also, she wanted to get the hell out of there.

They turned- they were trying to get downstairs.

"That way!" Eden pointed, recalling the directions from her brief trips around. They had to go somewhere, not time to explain her plan.

They followed her, and suddenly she stopped outside a door. "Here"

Hermes looked confused. "What?"

"Eden, where are Ria and Jackie?" Dawn asked suddenly. Eden looked away from her.

There were no guards in sight for the time being- they were all chasing them.

"Just open the..." She gasped, trying to stay alert. The kid said something, and the door toppled over.

Half a dozen Cyclopes came out. Al ran to the next one, and a few monsters made a break for it.

A third door- but no one came out. Cautiously, Hermes stuck his head in and gasped.

"Who-?" Eden bit her lip, slowly sinking to her knees, and Dawn got a good look at her for the first time.

Her face- and probably most of her body was bruised and bloody, and there was a diagonal slice across her forehead, dripping blood into her eyes. Her leg was twisted funny, and Dawn was amazed she managed to run on it. But what scared her most was her hand. The fingers were bent and twisted, clearly broken. Dark black and green bruises were forming on them.

"Eden." Dawn said again. "Where are Arianna and Jackie?" She took a deep breath.

"They sold Ria." She said softly. Dawn's stomach froze, certain that she had misheard, the meaning not sinking it. She closed her eyes a moment, forcing herself to ask the next question.

"Jackie?'' Eden was silent. Fear settled heavily in Dawn's stomach. Was she dead? Mutilated? missing?

"It was her, Dawn." Eden closed her eyes a moment. "It was Jackie. She told them where we were going. She fell in love. She..." She couldn't say it. Dawn stared at her, mind frozen.

_Jackie is a traitor._ She thought crazily, not really believing it. Images slid through her mind- Jackie at camp, Jackie hunting. Was it really all over?

"No." That voice. A voice Eden hadn't heard in seven years, and had sorely missed. Cried for, longed for. And now she was here.

She forced herself to look up.

Artemis was watching them.

O-o

"There!" One end of the corridor was blocked off by the Titan Army. The group, which had now grown to about twenty, dashed to the other end where it forked. Dawn, Artemis, Hermes, Peter, Al and Eden went 

left. The Cyclopes and other creatures went right. They took another turn, Artemis telling them where to go.

But as they turned, Peter's heart sank to his knees. More monsters. They had split up.

They were trapped.

_I love you, Adrian._ He thought sadly, looking for an exit. _We almost made it. I love you._

Hermes snapped his fingers, and the wall behind them collapsed.

It trembled, coming down, missing them by feet. They sprinted through...

... and found themselves in a tall, domed room. A tall domed room that, it must be said, contained Eden's two least favorite characters in the world.

Lars and Kronos.

Kronos started to laugh, doubling over in his mirth. Lars still looked dazed from his bonk on the head, and looked at Eden with pure hate. Her face showed the same emotion.

"_Excellent_ timing, my friends." Kronos said smoothly as the guards surrounded them. "I catch two fish and end up with…" he did a quick head count. "…six."

Eden's eyes flitted around the room, before coming to rest on Kronos's face.

"Then again, the water can be choppy this time of year, and the fish could jump back to sea." She countered quietly. The smile slid off Kronos's face. All of a sudden, Lars jumped forward, yanking Eden backwards. She spun on her good foot, her bad coming into contact with his leg. He pushed her forward, and she caught herself with her good hand. Lars knocked it out of the way and knelt, putting all his weight on her back. She struggled under him to no avail.

"You see, hunter?" Kronos's razor voice made Dawn jump as he gazed at her thoughtfully. "We are stronger than you. All I have to do is give the order, and Lars can kill your friend Eden. The others have already been disposed of."

_Disposed of?_

Dawn laughed mirthlessly. "Then why haven't you already?"

"I have my reason. But it would be a shame for the 'resistance' to lose five _more _of its hunters in the space of two weeks." Artemis tensed next to her.

_More?_ Her voice echoed in Dawn's mind, worried.

_Thalia, Laurel, Jessica. _Pain flashed across Artemis's face.

"Get the fuck off me." Eden bucked, foot shooting up and connecting with Lars's spine. He dug his knee harder into her back, making her flinch in pain.

"All I have to do is give the order," Kronos's voice had dropped so low that only Dawn could hear it as he drew nearer, "and Lars can cut off each finger, one by one. What could you do to stop it?" Dawn's heart kicked up, stomach jumping, breathing ragged with fear. "What would you do if all I had to do was to give the word, and Lars would fuck Eden senseless- and the only way you could stop it was by giving us the information she failed to provide?"

"Dawn, don't you dare- _mmm_." Lars put a hand over Eden's mouth, flinching slightly as she bit him.

The answer was clear in Dawn's mind, and she hoped to the clouds above it didn't show on her face. She would give them almost any information they asked for to keep Lars from touching Eden.

_I shouldn't have gone on this trip It was stupid. One of the others would have done _so_ much better. I am a pathetic-._ Fear curdled in her stomach as she reached a heart rate that any personal trainer would envy.

"You sick, twisted pervert." She breathed, glowering up at him. He laughed.

Eden narrowed her eyes as she watched the exchange. She didn't know what was being said, but she could guess. Artemis met her eyes, expression confirming Eden's fears. She wondered if she could get to her pills from this position. She tried to move, and pain shot up her arm, making her gasp.

Peter was staring at her, mouthing something over and over.

_Don't you dare, Don't you dare, Don't you dare._

Don't she dare what? Die?

Lars wanted to laugh. Revenge. Eden hadn't cracked, but Dawn might. He was on top of Eden, (in the literal sense,) in a position of power.

Power.

He had been born into power, being a Castellan, and had allied himself with the titans for power. Once they won, he had all the power he could ever dream of.

But Eden Emmerson dedicated her life to destroying it, tearing down his paper reign sheet by sheet. Kronos was getting angrier and angrier with him, about her.

He pressed her harder into the ground, and she let out a small gasp of pain. That was for all the torture Kronos had inflicted upon him when she and her _resistance_ bested them. Torturing her had been great fun. He had been sure she would crack when they sold Arianna to a perverted prostitutioner- but she hadn't. And Lars knew what Kronos was telling Dawn.

But the idea repulsed him. Eden has broken his arm blindfolded, and his hand was bleeding, even though hers might never work again. So, he reflected, he was also scared of what state he would end up in.

He dug his fingers into her back, pressing her front against the stone floor, digging his fingers into the back of her neck. Blood trickled down, dripping off her shoulder and making dark dots on the floor.

"Your cause is hopeless." Kronos hissed. "We have a weapon that can destroy a god- you can't fight us. Surrender now and we will grant you a less painful death."

"I feel honored." Dawn said sarcastically, instantly regretting it. _Stupid. Stupid Stupid Stupid. _She was less frightened about Kronos's threat to cut off her fingers. They had gods- you could replace a finger. Virginity was different- once you lost it, it was gone forever. _Keep your freaking mouth shut._

Kronos laughed at the fear on her face. "So you admit fear?"

"Go to hell." Again, she mentally smacked herself.

A grin slid across Kronos's twenty one year old features. "I am afraid I have already been to hell, huntress, and did not particularly enjoy the experience."

"DAWN! DON'T!" Eden struggled harder, and Kronos made a hand signal. Lars jerked her to her feet, slamming her against the wall.

The knife.

Dawn's breathing became ragged with fear as he brought the knife down, slicing her across the chest. Eden pressed her lips together, refusing to scream, to cry.

The pain. One of the most sensitive areas of her body felt like it had been cut in two, though in reality Eden knew it wasn't deep. But it was deep enough. Blood clogged the tear in her shirt, dripping down. Kronos smiled at Dawn.

"That could be you." It was worse watching Eden- her refusal to scream or cry. They had come so, so close, but in the end it brought her friend more pain.

Holy fucking titans.

Then one of the guards screamed.

**O-o**

**What can it be, I wonder? You'll just have to wait and see, hmm? REVIEW! does the review dance**

**musiclover- just dont fall**

**bubblegum11- thanks!**

**I ONLY GOT 2 REVIEWS ON THE LAST CHAPTER! THE REVIEW MONSTER WANTS MORE BEFORE SHE WILL REVEAL THE THING-THAT-MADE-TITANMINIONS-SCREAM. MUHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!**


	28. Chapter 28

**I'm on cataction, but I have 3 more chapters written. Yay me! Anyway, review or else. I am going to make an index later for those who want to skip chapters, but R-E-V-I-E-W**

_A guard screamed. _

_O-o_

The scream was taken up by more guards, trying to fight but to no avail. Kronos turned away from Dawn for a moment, looking for the cause of the commotion.

_Run!_ Eden thought franticly. It was because of _her_ that Artemis and Hermes hadn't blown something up by now. Lars would kill her- rape her- torture her- all of the above- if they did. She shivered. Nothing- anything but that. She had to get away.

_No._ She wouldn't- couldn't- shouldn't- think about that.

_GodfuckingJesusBullshitCrappyHeapOfDogShitWithMarijunaOnTop_

_The pain. _She thought foggily. _Focus on that._ she could focus on her pain- the way her chest felt like it was cut in two, how her fingers burned with the pain. The knowledge that she might not be able to shoot a bow again.

_GodfuckingJesusBullshitCrappyHeapOfDogShitWithMedimusalOnTop!!_

Anger filled her. Lars. It was all his fault. With a surge of adrenaline she jerked away, kicking him hard in his soft spot. He snarled at her as she tried to run.

For the record, running on a recently dislocated knee is not as easy as some cartoons make it seem. Lars grabbed her, slamming her hard against the wall. Her head ringing with the impact she became vaguely aware of something trickling down her neck.

His hand shot out and brushed her crotch.

_No no no no no_. Her breathing was short and choppy, stomach pulsing with fear.

"I could go farther if I wanted to, Emmerson. I don't want to, but I can." He hissed, bringing his face closer to hers, so their noses almost touched. _Oh gods, please- oh gods oh gods_. "_I _am in control here. I wouldn't try that again."

Holy fucking Jesus with heroine and medimusal mixed in.

_ARTEMIS!_

He filled her vision. There was nothing else left, nothing but the sound of his breathing in her ear, the smell of his stinky breath, the heat from his face, the fact that there was nothing she could see. Nothing but his angry red face, so close to hers. So close she didn't want to think about it.

And then it was all gone. She felt him falling back, dragging her forward. She fell on top of him, to her horror.

Artemis pulled her to her feet- foot-, and Eden got a real look at the situation, heart still racing.

Cyclopes.

They had found them- they had freed more of their kind? There were more than when Eden had last seen them, though her judgment wasn't great- she had been hardly conscious. There were maybe a dozen, creating a diversion, killing mortals and half-bloods, and monsters.

_How nice of them. _

Eden's knee buckled under her weight, and she sank to the ground. She couldn't hold them up any longer- the cold pills pressed against her chest. She could kill herself once they left- she would die soon anyway.

"Run." She told Artemis softly.

Artemis didn't move. "Come on, Edie. You're coming with us, vote you yea or nay." Rolling her eyes, Eden tried to stand. She leaned on her good foot, one thousand years of training paying off- she was reasonably steady.

Hermes threw a bomb at the window, and it exploded into glass dust. Peter speared a dracane in the gut, dashing towards them. Dawn followed, Holding Al's hand.

"The entrance is out in the…" Peter began, but Hermes cut him off.

"It doesn't matter. Artemis- grab hold of me. Dawn, you take Eden. Peter, take Al." Eden was confused. What the heck were they…? She flinched as her bare feet hit glass, and she could feel it bleeding. Dawn grabbed her hand, and they lifted off lopsidedly.

_Holy fucking shit!_ They were flying. Damn damn damn damn. She had never really gotten used to it, and they were so lopsided... her last moments on earth would be in freefall.

The shoes, however, were stronger than she thought.

They shot up, up, up, past the tall towers, Cyclopes jogging below them. Bullets flew around them, and Peter yelled as one hit him in the foot. Dawn flinched, adrenaline pumping. They had made it. They were almost out of there- with Artemis and Eden. That had to count for something.

_I'm sorry, Arianna. We'll come get you._ She thought grimly, heart aching. She pulled Eden off to one side as a bullet sailed past them. And then they were gone, leaving San Diego, flying over trees.

They were hypnotizing. They would get closer, and blur below them. Eden felt her eyes could stay unfocused, and they would…

Blood splattered her leg. Peter and Al were loosing altitude. The vote to make camp was unanimous- they all hoped they were far enough away. They hurried away, Cyclops' wreaking havoc behind them.

O-o

Peter yelped in pain as Hermes tried to fish the bullet out of his foot. One of the Cyclops', who's name was Bront, jumped, looking around.

"Hold _still, _Peter. I can heal the wound, but you aren't going to want a bullet in there forever. Hold _still_." Hermes got Al and an uncomfortable Dawn to hold him down until the bullet popped out, trailing blood across the clearing as it rolled. It took the god about ten seconds to heal the hole.

Eden let him fix her leg and hand, but couldn't be talked into anything else. She wrapped her arms around her chest and put her chin on her knees, the fire reflecting in her eyes, the waves that were usually in them gone.

Peter wondered uneasily if she would be like this forever, if the Titans had reduced her to a mere shadow of her former self. He could remember her just three weeks ago, arguing with Gäldstrup. Now he could see nothing of the defiance, the stubbornness, that had consumed her for the last seven years.

He replayed Kronos's threat in his mind, feeling sick. Would he really? _Had_ he… he refused to think about it, shooting Eden an anxious glance. Her face looked like it was in shadows, but it was the bruises that were on her. Her arms, stomach, legs, and the one on her face. Everyone left her alone.

O-o

Eden looked about camp. Artemis was on watch, talking quietly with Hermes. Dawn and Peter were sound asleep.

When the god's backs were turned, she slipped quietly out of camp.

She knelt slowly next to a river a few meters away, burying her face in her hands. It felt like the world was gone. The Eden of last month felt like a completely different Eden from the one that sat here on the river in California.

Oh, gods.

She had always known, she thought she had been prepared for this. They hadn't raped her-she knew she should feel lucky. She wasn't going to die. She thought she was aware of the world, but looking back she felt she had been naïve. Eden had known, though. She had known from the first moment, she had known when she dragged Gäldstrup and what was left of the Olympian Army and half bloods into the forest. Even with all the death around her, it hadn't seemed real.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped, but it was only Artemis. The goddess sat next to her and watched the water for a moment.

"Who's still alive?" she said finally, and Eden looked at her. "I haven't heard anything for _years_, Edie. Nothing. Just small sound bytes- You are leading the resistance, Peter is still alive. A certain Gregory has hit America's most wanted. That's it."

There was a silence, broken only by the croak of a frog in the water.

"Thalia's dead, Jessica is, too."

Artemis closed her eyes a moment and shook her head. "I know about Thalia, but my question was who is _alive._" She wrapped her arms around the lieutenant's shoulders. "How are the hunters?"

Eden took a deep breath, shaking. Artemis might have meant it to cheer her up, but it was backfiring. She hadn't done her job. Her job was to keep the hunt together, and safe. Arianna was MIA, Jackie was a traitor, Thalia, Jess and Laurel were dead. But Artemis was looking at her expectantly. "Mary, she had a nasty side injury 'bout four-ish years ago but she manages OK. Um, Ari, she's fine, and Chloe. Jenna's alright. Peter and Dawn, duh. Um, Greg is still alive, they want him really bad now." She paused when Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Bad_ly._" She fell silent, closing her eyes. The moonlight reflected off the lieutenant band, like a reflector on a bike. Lars had tried, many times to take it off, but it couldn't be done. The strip of metal wouldn't budge.

She trembled. Lars. They used to be rivals, with no real fear. Or equal fear. Like siblings, only deadly. They had been almost equals. Now… now his name struck terror into her heart, her soul. She was going to _kill_ him. If she lived long enough to kill him.

_You _did_ slice his dick in half at Pike Market,_ she reminded herself, smiling slightly. Artemis gazed out at the water.

"Artemis?" Eden said cautiously. Artemis looked at her, and her insides squirmed. She felt almost like a ten year old asking for an autograph, and it took all her willpower not to come up with something else. She had to ask. "Did you make me lieutenant because you wanted to, or because I was _there?_" Artemis blinked in surprise.

"What?" Eden felt unprotected, vulnerable. She had just spat one of her secrets out into the open. _Did I really do that?_

"Well?"

"No, I didn't. I had been thinking about it, from the moment we got the alert. _You_ could have died that day. To be honest, I was considering You, Jessica and…" She stopped, but Eden knew which name had been about to slip through her lips. "You were the only ones that could do it. Dawn, too. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that." her voice was flat, emotionless.

Yes, Jackie had been strong and smart. Jackie would have been a lieutenant to rival Zoë Nightshade. But Jackie was a fucked up, stinking _traitor._

**Pop-quiz: what is Eden allergic to? P.M. me, AND review with Constructive Criticism (with the answer NOT in the review) and , and you get to choose the next Beta Reader victim. And remember about Eden's fatal flaw. And Peter's, too. **

**There... was a writer named storm brain. TYOOT was her fan fic!**

**R.E.V.I.E.Dub! R.E.V.I.E. dub! R.E.V.I.E.dub and she wanted rev-iews!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Sorry for the long wait- I was out of town. I have drafts of the next chapters written, but might scrap them because I want to change that part around a bit. Anyway, thanks for waiting. Review!**

_"No, I didn't. I had been thinking about it, from the moment we got the alert. You could have died that day. To be honest, I was considering You, Jessica and…" She stopped, but Eden knew which name had been about to slip through her lips. "You were the only ones that could do it. Dawn, too. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that." her voice was flat, emotionless._

_Yes, Jackie had been strong and smart. Jackie would have been a lieutenant to rival Zoë Nightshade. But Jackie was a fucked up, stinking traitor._

O-o

Eden let go of Dawn, landing hard on the ground.

"Arianna." She snarled, and Hermes sighed.

"We can't, Eden. I'm sorry."

"You're not." She said angrily. She doubted he _really_ knew how she felt- 'sorry' didn't help. If he was _really_ sorry, he would let Eden look. If he _really _was sorry… she turned away from him, trying to contain the crazed feeling of shame and grief that was burning her body .

She had failed. Jackie had left. Ria was missing.

_Jackie Ria Jackie Ria Jackie Ria Jackie Ria Ria Ria. _

A joyful and curious crowd was forming. Angrily, Eden pushed past Gäldstrup, stalking into her empty cabin and slamming the door. She swung onto her upper bunk, ignoring her leg when it objected, and glared at the ceiling. She knew what they all thought, and, for right now, at least, she didn't care. She would set them straight later.

_Ria._ She didn't want to imagine what her friend was probably going through right now. Eden could see the appeal of drugs- if they helped you forget, then bring 'em on. She rolled over, hiding her face in her pillow, only to find ninty eight point five pounds on hunter land on top of her.

"Edie!" Mary hugged her as well as she was able, pulling her into a sitting position. She was crying.

"Ow." Eden mumbled, and Mary pulled back looking guilty. Jenna swung herself onto the bunk, also hugging her. Eden wrapped her arms around her legs, staring blankly into space. They didn't know about the others- she wasn't going to tell them.

They didn't ask how she was. They didn't need to.

O-o

"Titansdamnit." Lars slammed his fist on the table.

"Tell me again who was there." Cynthia Jincuk, CEO of T.S.F.R (The Search For Rebels) asked, finger on the start button of a recorder.

"Hermes," Lars began, watching the name appear on Jincuk's computer screen. "And Peter Johnson, naturally." Cynthia paused the recorder, deleting the word 'naturally' from the document. "That hunter- Dawn… something. McCreebis, I think. Yes, Dawn McCreebis. You know, the blonde one."

"Emmerson is blonde," The CEO pointed out, removing the words _That, Hunter, Something, McCreebie, I, Think, you know the blonde one, _and _Emmerson is blonde_ from the screen, waiting for him to continue.

Lars's face darkened. "Ar-tuh-mis." He said nastily, glowering. She had escaped. _Titansfuckingdamnhertohell._

"Gregory Gäldstrup?" Cynthia checked, and Lars shook his head.

"He was MIA."

"Ah."

"And, of course, Ed-en Emm-er-son was accounted for. And thirteen Cyclopses are AWOL. "

Cynthia stopped the recorder. "I hope for your sake, Castellan, thay we catch them soon."

O-o

Lars stormed down the hallway, leaning up against the wall at the end. Eden's face as she fled seemed imprinted on his eyelids. It disgusted him.

He wanted her to die. Who was she, to kick his balanced world, to question his power in the new regime?

He supposed she was sort of pretty in a fourteen-year-old, great-granddaughter-of-Aphrodite sort of way, but he did _not_ want to have to jump her.

_I am not a child rapist._ He thought acidly. It might be different if she was at least twenty five. As it was, she was too young and too old at the same time.

Unfortunately, Kronos seemed to have different opinions on the matter. But Lars knew she would die before she cracked, and probably before she let anyone near her.

Kronos had told her the definition of the word 'fuck' last week, and he was surprised. Sex slang- Jump, squirrel, parley, were banned from society. Using one was a great offence.

Then again, that seemed to be her goal.

But _fuck?_ What kind of word was that?

O-o

_She was running, so, so slowly. Her leg was on fire- she could see the orange flames licking up her body. She was running towards the ocean, but it was retreating, farther and farther away. Hawks circled above her, cackling with delight at their catch. _

"_I'm not dead!" she shouted angrily at them. _

"_You will be soon," The largest of them said. He looked at her with the familiar bright blue eyes that wound haunt her forever, and she screamed. _

"NO!" She sat up in bed, shaking.

She slid off the bed, slipping outside into the night. A few guards looked around, surprised, as she passed them, but none of them spoke to her. she had been like a ghost this past week, and they had all stopped trying.

Eden curled up in a ball behind the dining hall, gazing at the stars. Her forehead throbbed angrily, begging for painmeds.

She ignored it, counting stars. That was a good way to kill time.

She had gotten to seventy six when she heard footsteps on the gravel behind her.

"Go away." She muttered. _Seventy seven, seventy eight, seventy nine…_ someone sat next to her.

_Eighty, eighty one, eighty two, eighty three…_

"Eden." Her voice was quiet, so as not to alert the patrols.

"Go away." Eden repeated. _Eighty four, eighty five, eighty six…_

Something dragged her into a sitting position. She lashed out at it, and found… nothing. She glanced around at the figure next to her, sitting two feet away.

Oh.

"Cut it _out._" Eden turned her face away from the goddess, staring fixedly at the stars. _Eighty seven, eighty eight, eighty nine, ninety. _Or wait- had she counted that one already? She didn't _think_ she had already included Orion-

"It doesn't help anyone for you to behave this way, you know. Not you, not Ria, not-"

"_Go away._" She insisted. Her grandmother didn't move.

Eden glowered at Ursa Major. No one would understand, not even a god. Why couldn't they all leave her alone?

"You need to live."

"Says who?" her voice was cold. She didn't need to live, didn't want to live. Something that an immortal couldn't understand.

She wondered what the rules for Elysium were. It was probably how strongly you believed in something, how you acted. Lars would go to Elysium for his work for the titans- was it too much to hope for that she could go for working for the gods? The judges were supposed to be impartial.

"Says me. Says everyone at this camp. Are you planning to abandon us? Do you want _six_ hunters down?"

_Abandon._ Jackie had abandoned them. Could she do that again? In her book, joining the Titans was like abandonment. Could she make them loose three hunters in a month?

She didn't say anything.

"Are you really going to let one Y chromosone ruin your life?" Athena pressed on.

Eden squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block the tears that tried to force themselves through. It didn't work. A tear fell from her cheek, catching the light of the moon.

O-o

"Tell me now." She ordered Gälstrup in the morning. Her depression of the last week seemed to be wearing off- she had gotten her glare, at least, back to normal. "What are people saying?" Gäldstrup stayed silent.

"Tell me or I'll go threaten someone." She said darkly, and still Greg hesitated. He knew exactly what people were saying, but did Eden really need to know?

"You have ten seconds, Gregory."

She never used his full name unless she was thoroughly pissed.

"Nine."

Did she really need to know? He had learned in the last seven years was that an angry Eden was dangerous.

"Seven."

But then again, it might restore life to her. Was this a sign she wanted to live again?"

"Four."

How much should he tell her?

"Three."

But if she wanted to beat someone up- Poseidon, Athena and Aphrodite were all known for their tempers. The person would not get off lightly.

"Two"

She had a right to know.

"One." Eden's eyebrows descended as she glowered at him.

"They are saying… well, opinions vary. Um," He pressed on before she could blast him into the Atlantic, "Sixty five percent of the population are convinced that you were raped by Castellan." She gnashed her teeth together angrily. "Thirty percent of the population here at fort Seattle are convinced that you were raped by," he paused, and Eden's hand pulsed. "Kronos or Atlas."

"HOLY FUCKING-"

"And thirty seven percent think that you are traumatized and will never speak again," he continued, "something that has already been proven wrong. And Eighty seven percent believe that Arianna is dead."

He shouldn't have said the last part. Worry clouded her face, and she glared at a point over his shoulder. "Lovely."

"Eden, you wern't-" she heard the plea in his voice, his desire to know but not wanting to hear the answer.

"No, I wasn't." She stormed off.

O –o

"I. Was. Not. Raped. By. Titans." Her fist landed on Adams face with each word. He narrowed his eyes, massaging his jaw.

"I am only repeating what I heard from… everyone else."

"Like _who_?"

"_Every_one." He said, annoyed.

She shook her head, glowering. "Screw _everyone,_ then. I was not raped by fucking titans." She punched him hard in the jaw, and stalked across the green. But something had crumbled inside her. No one would ever fully believe her. There would always be a suspicion in the backs of their minds, and they only had her word for it…

She wondered if Arianna was as lucky.

_Ria…_ she sank to her knees outside her cabin, eyes closed. She had to find her- there was no other way. _Ria Ria Ria Ria._ She could die. She could kill herself. She could end up… Eden refused to use the P word. Refused to think it.

It was all her fault. _Well, maybe Ja-_ she stopped. She _knew_ that her ex-friend was gone- she was never coming back. But when she pictured the Hunt, Jackie always slipped in. It was hard to grasp- even after ten days. _Jackie is a traitor, Jackie is a traitor… _

With a cry, she curled up into a little ball on the floor of her cabin, rocking back and forth with greif. Arianna. Laurel. Jessica. Jackie. Thalia. They had started out with eleven hunters. Now there were six. It was her fault.

O-o

**too tired for replies. So sorry. **

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	30. Chapter 30

**sorry for the wait. I wrote this 3 weeks ago, but have been busy. I have writers block. **

_It was all her fault. Well, maybe Ja- she stopped. She knew that her ex-friend was gone- she was never coming back. But when she pictured the Hunt, Jackie always slipped in. It was hard to grasp- even after ten days. Jackie is a traitor, Jackie is a traitor… _

_With a cry, she curled up into a little ball on the floor of her cabin, rocking back and forth with greif. Arianna. Laurel. Jessica. Jackie. Thalia. They had started out with eleven hunters. Now there were six. It was her fault._

_--_

"Eden." Dawn said softly, sitting down next to her at breakfast the next morning. "We think we've found her."

Eden had not been attending meetings, and Dawn had gone in her place. The former looked up quickly, grey eyes wide.

"Where?"

"Portland." That was close. It took two days to bike there, she vaguely recalled from her youth, and going faster than that on winged shoes…

She scrambled to her feet, adrenaline pounding through her system. Arianna had been located. She would come home. "Let's go get her!"

"No, _we_ will go get her. _You_ need to stay here." Eden gaped at her. What was she thinking? There was no way Eden would stay home. No. Not an option.

She imagined staying behind and waiting… waiting…

"It's my job."

"_You're_ in an… unstable condition, and your injuries…"

"Are you calling me insane?"

"No, Eden. You can't go. Please. Just… stay here." No. she couldn't stand missing the action- she had to follow her hunters, no matter the cost to herself. This was her job. _You're job is fighting for the Gods now, Eden. _She ignored the voice of reason, putting her hands on her hips, turning her icy glare up 100.

"Says who?" but Eden already knew who, and Dawn confirmed.

"Greg."

Eden stalked off across the dining room.

O-o

"_Why_?" she demanded, glowering at him. "Why can't I go?" The General sighed, leaning up against a wooden obelisk that marked the grave of the dead, as if this were a fight he had prepared for.

"Frankly, it's to dangerous. For you. You were just there, trapped in their HQ. There are probably tabs on the house right now, watching. Waiting. They'll know you will come." He ran his hand across one of the many names carved deep in the wood, one of the many who had died in the last seven years.

"So Dawn and the others should subject themselves to torture- in my place?" her voice was cold. Greg was trying to protect her, but she didn't _need_ protecting. Waiting at home, at camp, for news, not knowing… for days; she couldn't bear it.

Not now. She wanted some sign of normalcy in her abnormal life.

Gäldstrup rubbed his forehead. "Last time I warned you, you ended up _there._"

"I can't let them go off alone. What if- what if something happens?" her voice cracked. "I can't lose more of them. Four hunters are dead… or gone, Greg. No more." She looked down at the bottom of the obelisk, down to where three names were engraved in curly script.

_Thalia Huntington_

_Jessica Chaslin_

_Laurel Serun_

She couldn't add the others to the list. If she were there to distract the Titans, the others might get away.

There was pity in the General's eyes. "You can't, Eden. Stay here, stay safe." She pressed her lips together, angry. But Gregory Gäldstrup disappeared, drifting across the green like smoke on the wind.

O-o

Eden gazed at the wall, angry. No one would look at her anymore, she wasn't allowed to go look for her friend, and she _hurt._ All over.

_  
It's 'bout as bad as it could be  
Seems everyone is buggin' me-ee  
Like nuthin' wants to go my wa-yah just in my da-yah nuthin's going easily. _

_Even my skin is actin' weird.  
I wish that I could grow a be-ard  
Then I could cover up my spots, they connect the dots,  
I just wanna disappear. _

_Up! Up! Up! Can only go up from he-re,  
up! Up! Up where where the clouds gonna clear, up!  
There's no way but up from he-re._

Where had that come from? She closed her eyes, trying to remember. It had been such a long time ago. She tried to think. _Where? Where?_

Then she remembered.

_Up!_ By Shania Twain.

It had been her mother's favorite song. _Can only go up from he-re. _It had described Emily Emmerson's live so very well.

It was like she had burst a dam in her head- memories bolted through it at an alarming rate.

Cyndi Lauper had been too happy-go-lucky, Nastasha Bedingfield's chorus' had been good, but when she was rapping it was just annoying, John Lennon had been a hypocrite- 'don't care too much for money' says the guy who lives in the Dakota…

Eden's personal favorite had been C'est la vie by Shania Twain. Her Aunt Lila (Daughter of Athena) had liked _Nah!_- it became her favorite after her boy friend broke up with her. 'Single' by Nastasha Bedingfield had been awesome; again, when she wasn't rapping. _I'm single and I'm likin' it, this way… _

The Eden and Lily had jogged laps around the track singing _Unwritten_ as loud as they could with squirt guns if it was raining on the other side of the barrier.

_Feel the rain on your skin  
No one else can feel it for you  
Only you can let it in…_

Raffi had been pathetic with a capital P, _We love you Conrad_, from bye bye birdie had been worse than Charlotte Diamond… 'Everybody dance now' had been way to repetitive, The Beatles must have been high when they wrote 'Yellow Submarine', Kurt Culbane had not been worth the 20 CD, the Ramones had been good, if nonsensical. The White Stripes had been ok, Beatles White Album #1 had been better than #2, Zune had been better than iPod because there was a bigger screen, but Apple earbuds had been really comfortable.

Eden fell back on the bed, hard.

She had been a teenager once. Once she joined the hunters, she stopped listening to music. But had she kept her Zune? She wasn't sure.

Eden _had_ been able to remember her sister, August, with whom she often fought. And now she realized she could remember other things. Her mother- tall, with large, tan hands, and straight, blonde hair lightened by the sun. She remembered her eyes- how she could always stare Eden down when she was up too late. How there was a small chip in her bottom tooth from a hellhound attack when she was nineteen. And she could clearly, now, remember each of their homes as they traveled, nomadically, from state to state. Boston, New York, Richmond, Chicago and finally, for the last two years of her mother's life, Seattle.

How had she forgotten?

Violent sobs wracked through her body. What would Emily or Lila say now, if she could see her?

Lila would encourage her to go, sending Jimmy Buffet or Weird Al Yankovitch along with her. Emily would have wanted her to stay… but how could she know? It had been almost a millennia ago. Did it matter what they would have done?

Thalia. Lauren. Jessica. It was them that mattered now. Arianna wasn't even _born_ yet when Emily died. And she knew the others would want her to follow Ria. Well, they would want to follow her themselves, but they were dead. Eden's chest tightened on the last word. Dead dead dead. They weren't coming back, though she might go to them any day now.

_Thalia._

As if she were possessed, she moved zombie-like across the cabin to where her old backpack hung above the door. She unzipped it for the first time in seven years, placing a line of things across the floor.

One pair of shiny camo shorts and a tee shirt.

one old, battered copy of Anne Frank's diary.

One sketchbook. She flipped through the pages feeling detached as she looked at the drawings of various plants and animals and landscapes.

She slid her hand back in, and it something small and square. With a jolt, she pulled it out, shaking. She knew what it was.

Carefully, she placed the metal frame on the floor, memorizing everything about it before she allowed herself to look inside.

It was simple, and dulled with age. There were worn spots on the sides from her hands, and it smelled musty. There were no vines or shapes- it was just a rounded metal square.

Shaking with suppressed emotion, she lowered her eyes.

She was standing next to Lila, laughing. Lila had one finger in the air, imitating _Cathy_, a twenty first century comic in the _Seattle Times._ Emily was standing near the edge, smirking slightly. Lake Union spread out below them.

Slowly, Eden let herself look harder.

The twelve year old Eden was so, so different from who she was now. There were earbude poking out of her pocket, the angry red mark on her forehead missing. There had been a tentative peace that year; she had not lived in fear of an attack. She had felt safe with her mother.

Her memories had faded, and all she could remember was the picture being snapped by a Canon EOS 50D. She hadn't known then. Not known that her best friend was just a few short months away from being deported, along with her dad, back to Iraq. Not known that she was two years away from losing her mother, half of herself. Never dreamed she would one day be on America's most wanted, that she would be one of the most famous people on earth… the hunters had been the farthest thing from her mind at that moment.

Slowly, the picture fell to the floor. She curled up in a tight ball, watching the ceiling flicker before her. Lila had died of Battle wounds at age forty eight, when Iraq had broken out in the second civil war in two decades…

So many wars. So little life.

--

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	31. Chapter 31

_Slowly, the picture fell to the floor. She curled up in a tight ball, watching the ceiling flicker before her. Lila had died of Battle wounds at age forty eight, when Iraq had broken out in the second civil war in two decades…_

_So many wars. So little life._

--

"Jacqueline." She felt his hands on her shoulders, sighing in contentment. She heard his voice, pronouncing her name with a slight French accent.

Being with him, she couldn't think of anything else. So she was with him nearly all the time. With Pier there, she couldn't think about her friends- _enemies._ She had to remind herself. But it was so hard to see Mary like that.

But she had to be with Pier. She had known that from the start.

"_Jacqueline." His voice, calm, soothing, seductive, washed over her body. She leaned back into him, closing her eyes. An owl hooted from above. His hands gently rubbed her thirteen year old shoulders. "Please." _

"_I- I-" she took a deep breath. "_you _could come with me. You could change sides, too." It was hard to think with him there, right next to her. All sensible thoughts were trickling out of her head._

"_But they wouldn't change you. You are a hunter- do you really think you would be accepted back if you showed up with me? Jacqueline. Please. Come with me, Jacqueline." _

_He knew that she would do almost anything. The way he said her name- her true name. Jacqueline. Not Jackie, had a charm like quality about it. She was loosing control. _

"_I… They're my friends. My family. I- I can't just…" she stuttered to a halt as he gently turned her around, pressing his lips to hers. Everything- every rational thought fled from her head in that moment as she passionately kissed him back. It was perfect. She couldn't betray camp, but there was a mission she, Eden and Arianna would go on. They could 'capture' her. With her one wish, she could wish to be eighteen, the same as Pier. All the negative thoughts about the deaths of her friends were shoved to a corner of her mind as he wrapped his arms around her. _

"_Jacqueline." _

O-o

"_Jackie and Pier to the throne room at once. Jackie Pier to the throne room at once._" Cackled the intercom.

The never used last names here, unless they were referring to the enemy. With a sigh, Jackie disentangled herself from Pier and he followed her down towards the room.

_What does he want?_ She wracked her brains, trying to think of something she had consciously kept from Kronos. Something she could have told. She found nothing.

Cautiously, she placed her fingertips on the finger reader, which opened the doors to admit her with a satisfied beeping sound.

O-o

"Arianna has escaped." Kronos said coldly, looking down at the couple from where they stood below him. He waved a hand, and a guard pulled Pier to one side.

Jackie tried to concentrate on the marble etching on the throne to hide her elated feeling. It didn't matter! The others were safe, she was here. She had done what she was told, and it was all right now. Eden and Ria could go back to camp and she could stay here.

_Not all the way OK. _The sight of Eden's bleeding and disbelieving face entered her mind, but she pushed it back, counting the gems on the floor.

"Escaped, sir?" She kept her voice disbelieving.

"Yes. We had," he grimiced, "No evidence that rebels were on the move. Artemis was with them, and seems to have covered their tracks."

Artemis was safe, too!

"Did they escape, or were they caught?" again, she worked to keep her voice calm.

An ugly look appeared on the Titan's face. "They… escaped. That is why I called you here."

Huh?

She bowed, her long black hair falling across her face. "I don't understand, sir,"

"Let me explain." He said disdainfully. "No lasting usefulness has come from having you remain. Tell me- where is the camp?"

"I swore on the river Styx, sir." She bowed again.

Kronos nodded to the guard, who placed a knife against Pier's neck.

Horror and fear erupted in Jackie's mind. _Tell them!_

She opened her mouth. "The camp is in…" Suddenly she fell forward, landing on the cleavage that had not exited until recently. Just another thing to get used to. She opened her mouth to yelp from the pain, but nothing came out.

She struggled, writhing in pain as she tried to get the word out. "It is- it is in-" suddenly, she rolled onto her stomach and retched. Blood trickled over the ornate floor. She could see Pier struggling, trying to reach her. "The-"

Suddenly, something entered her windpipe, causing her to choke. After nearly a minute of coughing, something limp and pink fell on the ground infront of her.

Her tongue.

That was when she felt the pain. More and more blood came up as she tried to speak, seeing the guard press his blade harder against Pier.

"The- the-"

"STOP!" Kronos roard, and she shut up, feeling nauseated at the sight of her limp tongue in front of her. _Holy fucking crap!_ She had picked up the word from Eden, and found it strangely appropriate.

"Clearly," Kronos said, voice coated with anger, "Eden has played her part well. Doesn't even trust her hunters? Seems wise, seeing what you just did. But clearly, everything else is locked in."

Jackie retched again, her lunch joining the bloody mess.

"So, clearly, we have no more use for you."

"Ba Sa!" without her tongue, the words came out garbled. "I ca stall elp o. Ew promased!"

"NO! I beg you, sir!" Pier's eyes were wide with horror. "Jacqueline." The last word was barely murmered.

"Rise, hunter." Jackie struggled to her feet.

"I am na ah hunta."

"No, you are not. You are-!" he squeezed his fist, and a black lightning bolt shot from his hand, striking her in the groin. She fell to the floor.

"Dead. You were quite pretty as an adult, Jackie," Kronos said to the body. "However, you are Pier together is not good breeding material."

"JACQUELINE!" Pier broke free, running towards her. another bolt of lightning struck him, and he fell forward, gasping.

And death's arms embraced them both.

o-O

**Jon Pierce- **Is this more exciting? More death, destruction and starvation, evil battles, emotional issues, etc., coming soon.

**Moonray- **um, how? The fact that she swears a lot?

**T'BD'A- **ta-da!

**Musiclover- **Ede_n, _and yes, she is a confusing and emotional character. And she likes Shania Twain.

**Tell me what song Cyndi Lauper is famous for (chapter 30) and you can choose the next Beta Reader Victim!**


	32. Chapter 32

_**This is a very dark, morbid and disturbing chapter with refrences to Girl Stuff. For all the Y chromosones out there, you have been warned. **_

_JACQUELINE!" Pier broke free, running towards her. another bolt of lightning struck him, and he fell forward, gasping._

_And death's arms embraced them both_.

O-o

_Pain + Death Forgetting. _

Arianna ran her finger lightly down a jagged broken piece of mirror, tilting it away so she couldn't see her reflection.

It had- until five minutes ago- been the mirror that they used for disguises. She had karate chopped it when she saw her reflection- something she never wanted to see again.

She felt filthy.

Their escape was a bit of a blur. She remembered the noise, the panicking. She remembered another slave Annikida- dashing in, announcing that rebels had attacked the premises. She remembered hope clawing at her insides, begging to be let out of the tight bonds she had locked it in with these past few years.

She remembered Jenna showing up, sending them all out the window while Dawn blocked the door. She remembered feeling panicked when she realized Eden hadn't come.

She remembered running. Lots of running.

She remembered her shock and joy at finally seeing Artemis again.

She remembered Eden blowing up at Dawn and Jenna for leaving without her.

She remembered all those weeks ago, standing on the platform, watching Eden jump. Watching her take one or two steps before getting knocked out by security guards. She would have smiled, if she had the willpower to smile. Only Eden would jump off a balcony with a dislocated knee.

She wished she could forget everything else. But such a thing was not possible.

Arianna lived in fear that her period would start again, and was worried it would not. It had stopped when she became a hunter- and, despite what Eden said, she couldn't be a hunter. Only virgins were hunters.

But what if she wasn't a hunter and her cycle didn't start? What if she was-

_No. Don't go there. Just forget_.

But she couldn't forget.

She squeezed the fragment tighter, feeling it cut her hands. She ignored the pain that shot up her arm, glaring at the wall, counting the stones that put it together.

_One hundred and twenty one, one hundred and twenty two, one hundred twenty three._

O-o

"How's Arianna?" Peter asked in a low voice as Eden tossed her sword from hand to hand without looking at him. She hadn't done any real training since Arianna had showed up. All her emotions were spent on worry.

"Nothing. It's like she… like she isn't there." Eden's voice broke. "I don't blame her. I'd rather die."

Feeling uncomftorble, Peter gazed at the hunter's small stone cabin, located in the trees across the green. Somewhere inside, Arianna was counting rocks.

O-o

She had to get out, at least for awhile. Or for longer.

She stared at the wall that her life had been reduced to. A month ago, her life wasn't perfect. Far from it. But she had emotions, adrenaline, friends- and that other thing, that she refused to think about.

Furious, she flung the mirror fragment against the wall, where it shattered into twenty seven pieces.

O-o

"Think she'll snap out of it?" Jenna, from the hospital, was also watching the cabin. Mary hesitated.

"I don't know. Eden did." Worry for her friend gnawed at Mary's insides.

"But Eden didn't- Eden is more of a strong person emotionally." Jenna fell silent, picking nervously on the bandage on her leg where a guard dog had gotten a good bite out of it.

Mary shifted on her chair, glowering at the inviting sunlight that hit the windowpane. "I wish they'd let us out."

O-o

Arianna turned slowly, staring at Eden's pillow. Eden had a top bunk, and the pillow was right at eye level. Then she remembered. There _was_ a way to forget.

O-o

"Did you hear about that hunter?" Lion whispered to Hope as they picked salad green for dinner.

"Who, Eden? Or the missing one? Or the traitor?"

"The missing one. She came back. She hasn't left the cabin yet. My mom said she was- what's the word? _Ripped?_"

"I dohno. That's what everyone said about Eden when she came back. It must be quite painful. Maybe it has something to do with taking your arms off…?" they stared at eachother a moment, then went back to work.

O-o

Slowly, Arianna looked for a piece of paper, scribbling a couple words. Then she slid her hand under Eden's pillow. She thought of Eden, Jenna, Mary, Dawn, Ari and Chloe. They would be mad at her. but what about Laurel? Her best friend Laurel?

_It's not like I'll never see them again._

Her fingers closed around the bottle.

O-o

"I haven't seen her in hours." Chloe muttered, staring at the cabin. Dawn bit her lip, worried. "Yesterday she came out for dinner, at least." _Give it time,_ her mom had said. Well, great. Athena had all the time in the world.

Arianna's conciousness, always on the edge of her mind, was racing, spinning. it was the first real emotion she had displayed since coming here.

"I'm going to go look."

O-o

_I love you, Laurel._ Arianna thought, feeling the first shred of hope in two weeks. The light burned her eyes as her head spun, dizzy. With Olympic effort, she turned it off. There, that was better.

O-o

Something was defiantly wrong. The lights were off. The emotions were dulling. Then Chloe started to run. _Ria? Ria?_ Arianna didn't answer.

O-o

Eden noticed at the same time Chloe did. She could no longer feel the depressed buzz on the edge of her mind. She whirled around, seeing Chloe sprinting to the cabin. Eden could feel her panic and confusion. Impulsivly, she chased after her.

O-o

Chloe reached the door, opening it with shaking fingers. "Ria?" She told herself it was fine, she was just being paranoid. Arianna was probably just sleeping- that's why the lights were out. But Ria had barely slept the whole time she had been back- and when she did she woke up with nightmares. She turned on the light, realizing her mistake. If Arianna was taking a nap, that was good. It meant she was getting back to normal. And she was waking her up.

But Ria's bed was empty. Slowly, she looked about the small cabin.

O-o

"EDEN!" From 100 yards away, Eden heard Chloe shout. She sprinted for the door, hurtling over two seven year olds practicing sword fighting.

"Outofmyway." She didn't wait for an answer as she entered the cabin, Dawn and Ari on her heels.

Slowly, she turned to where Chloe was look, grief in every line of her face, which suddenly looked older. But that was silly- Hunters didn't age. Shaking, Eden turned her eyes to the floor.

Arianna, lying on the floor next to the light switch. Eden's pill bottle clutched in her hand.

O-o

**lidim- Clearly you are no follower of Aphrodite. **

**Jon Pierce- Thanks**

**Musiclover- I do not abandon my stories unless I tell you otherwise. And I have a plan for maybe doing this story from Lar's POV, but I need to finish this one first. But what do you think of doing that? I dont have any sequel ideas. **

**T'BD'A- There is a little of that in this, but I have spent 10 chapters on this sub plot and it is getting dull. I _do_ like killing off characters though. **

**bubblegum11- it didn't get cut off, it fell out. The River Styx is serious about promises. **


	33. Chapter 33

**Sorry for the wait. I know what happens next, I just don't know how to write it. I am so glad that last storyline is finally done. I was planning to make it only one or two chapters, but it is one of the more important parts of the story. Argh! on to more death and destruction we go. **

Slowly, she turned to where Chloe was look, grief in every line of her face, which suddenly looked older. But that was silly- Hunters didn't age. Shaking, Eden turned her eyes to the floor.

Arianna, lying on the floor next to the light switch. Eden's pill bottle clutched in her hand.

O-o

_Dear Thalia_

_I want to die. But I have to live. They're all out there. Titans. We lost a small base in Vancouver last week. There were so many children there. Some were barely five years old. The Titans raped, tourtured and killed all of them. Five year olds, Thal! Five year olds that had done nothing wrong save being born. The adults- I can see their reasoning, even though I hate to admit it. Despite what people say about my 'homicidal tendencies' I would never, ever kill a kid that young. Hell, I hate killing people in general. But sometimes it just can' t be helped._

_Someone new came today- Adrian, Peter's girlfriend, found him in the woods. He had been hiding. He was a son of Aphrodite named Viagra. I couldn't keep a straight face when he told me. I don't know how he survived- he's thirty already. Anyway, he got mad when he knew I was trying not to laugh and- when I was leaving after marking him down- he demanded to know what I found so funny. Clearly, he has an ego that does not like fourteen year olds laughing at him. He surprised me, so reflexively I kicked him in the groin. It was an accident. Viagra. I don't know what Aphrodite was thinking._

_Kick Ria's butt for me, ok? What was she thinking? But I can't blame her. I would have done the same thing- except I would have done it before it got that far. And Dawn would be kicking my butt. But still. You're all down there. There's nothing to lose by dying, and more to gain._

_When we were young, people always thought death was nothing. Blackness. We know different, but I sometimes wonder. When life is so long, isn't nothingness better? Than, say, eternal boredom?_

_I have to go throw this letter in the fire now. I miss you, and if it were up to me I would see you soon. But it's never up to me, is it?_

_-Eden._

_O-o_

lildm - Eden followed her heart, and so many people are dead because of her, too. Jackie followed her heart and only Arianna died. Who is worse?

Jon Pierce - Welcome to the world.

Musiclover - I warned you in the beginning this wouldn't be happy... your fault for reading it.

**why did I only get 3 reviews on that last chapter? Not even Bubblegum reviewed. I feel abandoned. **


	34. Chapter 34

_When we were young, people always thought death was nothing. Blackness. We know different, but I sometimes wonder. When life is so long, isn't nothingness better? Than, say, eternal boredom?_

_I have to go throw this letter in the fire now. I miss you, and if it were up to me I would see you soon. But it's never up to me, is it?_

_-Eden._

o-o

_Jason Powers, Ferd Intergrowth, Peter Johnson, Julie Ulomia, Eden Emmerson, Rissa Arion and Adam Rambler to the council room immediately! I repeat-_

"You don't _need_ to repeat, Greg, I heard you the first time." Eden muttered as she jumped out of bed fully dressed, landing lightly on the wooden floor. She checked to see if she had woken any of the others, but they remained asleep. Ari's snoring pattern altered slightly as she rolled over. The empty bunk bed by the door lurked like an unwanted presence, a reminder.

It was August 23 in The Year Of Our Titans 3008- more than six months since Jackie and Arianna had died- Adam had stumbled on news of the former last June. Eden didn't want to admit that he had crushed her last hope- the one, small hope in the corner of her heart that Jackie might one day return.

O-o

"They are ordering a mass execution," Adam said, clenching his fist, "Of _all_ the Prisoners in camp XII65, just south of Coracoidan, Canada."

Eden felt a chill, like an icy finger had run down her back. Knowing how the Titans would kill them made her want to vomit. But when she spoke, her voice sounded vacant and emotionless. "_All_ of them."

Adam nodded. Julie hissed.

There weren't rebels in these camps. They were too low for that. All resisters met death within minutes- if they were lucky. Otherwise they were hauled in for questioning. No, the people in these camps were the ones who had not paid their taxes or mocked a guard… small, petty crimes. And their families.

A story came to mind, one her history teacher and talked about at one point, so long ago. How in WWII, a Nazi had taken a baby from it's mothers arms, flung it in the air and caught it on its bayonet. At the time, it had sickened her. Now, if they died that easily they were lucky. Now, the Titan's would stone their victims, rape them until they died, or burn them alive. And that was for the babies. Eden remembered a story about how a man had been forced to tear off and eat his own skin.

"We can't." her voice sounded breathless. "They can't _do_ that. Kids. Babies." She swallowed, trying to regain composure. "When… when exactly… is this planned?"

Adam moistened his lips, too disgusted to argue with Eden, for once. Then again, he was twenty three. Maybe he had just matured. "Three days. They don't know anything is going to happen yet."

Eden closed her eyes. Three days. "We can sneak on board the maglev. That'll get us there in about an hour. We can get people from the CalCamp, they can make it here in two on sneakers. We could probably get a Portland delegation, as well as Vancouver. But I think that's all we can ask for…"

"We'll get kicked off the maglev eventually, especially if you hide pegasi on the roof again. Try and alert the people nearby- There are three thousand at that camp, I believe? That's small…"

"That was years ago! You weren't even there." Eden protested. Her grandmother ignored her.

Athena flicked her finger, and a series of lasers shot a vertical map of the area in the middle of the table. Red lines branched out from where she was pointing. "We can organize in this man-made desert just south of New Peru." The screen changed to a calculator. "We can get… probably three hundred from this camp? And Cal has about four hundred. Vancouver and Portland have five hundred or so each… Not enough, really. The Itanstay have five hundred guarding the spot- but reinforcements could arrive in minutes. Peter and Ares, you can lead the ground fighting. Viagra can lead a distraction around the side-"

"And _stop laughing!_" Aphrodite growled at Eden, who's shoulders were shaking.

"But why did you doom a child with the name…?" Eden bit her tongue at a warning look from Artemis.

"I agree with Athena." Gäldstrup cut in quickly. Silence descended upon the table.

"Well, that's a conversation killer if I ever heard one." Ferd muttered, slurping his shoelaces.

O-o

To: eattlesayasebay01

From; anadabayasbey003

_translated from original version Adam- we've got about five hundred, mostly ground fighters. About 50 archers, the others prefer swords and spears. We can talk more face-to-face. Got your message earlier- we'll meet you at 05 05 in the Bomrom desert. We can go through via New Peru by noon. _

_-Bamru _

To: anadabayasbay003

From; eattlesayasebay01

_translated from original version Bamru- Got your message. –Adam_

To: eattlesayasbay01

From: alcayasebay01

_translated from original version We have four fifty, most best on pegasi and spears. Think we can make the noon deadline. 05 05, you said? _

To: eattlesayasebay01

From: ortlandpayasebay02

_translated from original version we have 531. All sorts. Can't say more, may be tracked. see you at The Place at The Time. _

O-o

**Sa rat- well, they died like 950 years ago. They aren't famous enough to last that long, so no one knows. Eden mentions them because she sort of remembered them. **

**Lildm- raises eyebrows impressive. But Jackie didn't want to blab. She still was on their side, she just couldn't be there with them. **

**Musiclover- I know. It just popped in to my head and I thought 'why not'? thanks for keeping reading this. **

**Bubblegum has abandoned me tear. I want… 8 reviews before next chap. But I'll probably cave in. **

**If you don't review I'll cry. **

**I got an idea for a fictionpress. I'll tell you if I do it. **


	35. Chapter 35

**Sorry for the wait. I was watching Lord Of The Rings. Here's my assessment:**

**Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Merry and Pip are more interesting to see than Frodo and Sam. **

**Gollum is the true hero of the stories- if it weren't for him the ring wouldn't be destroyed. **

**I want to be Seran for Halloween. **

**And fine- I **_**wont**_** get to 150 reviews this time. **

_To: eattlesayasebay01_

_From: ortlandpayasebay02_

_translated from original version we have 531. All sorts. Can't say more, may be tracked. see you at The Place at The Time. _

**Oo**

The sweat rolled off her in galleons, making it hard to breath. The back of her throat begged for the water she couldn't give it, and this made her vary cranky indeed.

"One fifty… one sixty… one seventy… one eighty…" dully, she went through counting archers, trying to think of something- anything else, besides the fact that many of these people- some only in their teens- might die today.

She tried not to watch as husband and wife kissed goodbye, tried not to watch friends share what might be their last inside joke. But she could not ignore death, descending over their group in the middle of the hot, dry, manmade desert. There was not a tree nor a bush in sight, just five miles of hot, dry sand.

The sun moved higher overhead, making the heat more and more unbearable. Adam was the only one who could still bounce along, completing his tasks with twice the speed of the others.

Finally giving in, Eden unscrewed the top of her flask, letting herself take a small, measured gulp. She didn't want to have all the water in her stomach later- it would give cramps.

Athena went over the battle plan one last time, but her words didn't make contact with Eden's ears. She knew the plan already.

Viagra would lead a distraction at the main gate, and Eden and the others would climb the walls after trying to shoot down those on top. They would clear the people away from the walls, and the swordsmen would blow holes in it. They would herd the people out, and then they would decide where to go. They could stay if they wanted, but many of them had found out what was to happen that night already.

"Catch!" Jason tossed Eden a thin mail shirt, which she put on under her own. The cold metal felt nice against her skin.

Then they began to move.

O-o

Eden dumped the last of her water on Gi's sweaty neck as they flew, tying her shoes on more tightly.

"Ready to kick some itansay butt?" She said dryly, and Gi snickered.

"That's a weird phrase. Kick butt. I mean, it is so easy to _kick_ someone's _butt_…"

Eden sighed sadly. "Never mind." Was it too much to ask for, to have someone let her speak like a twentieth century-er, and not give her grief? She looked away from where Peter and Adrian were kissing passionately on Pie for what might be the last time, staring out at the flat, dry landscape.

O-o

Viagra jogged around the side, followed by exactly ninety seven men. Eden had complained about the sexistness of it, but Gäldstrup had waved her off.

"Men look more intimidating." He said. "They'll pay more attention to seriously fighting them than if it were women."

The group drew their swords as they stood at the base of the gate. Viagra ran towards it, sword raised… and nineteen arrows shot past his head. He ducked, dodging them as more arrows rained down.

"COWARDS!" Fülin, a satyr, shouted up at them. A small hatch popped open and about a hundred or so guards swarmed out.

Viagra sighed. He hated even numbers.

"VIAGRA! NO!" Danielin yelled loudly as he dodged a blow from a mace.

That was the signal.

O-o

"COWARDS!" Someone shouted. The guards along the top of the wall looked at the gate, and she swept closer, her cloak turning the red-brown color of the sand.

"_Maia!" _the word echoed along the line, and three hundred and seventy nine archers floated into the air. Arrows shot past them, as the guards realized their mistake. Eden moved forward, hood covering her face. A guard aimed an arrow straight at her head, and with one swift movement she shoved him over the wall. His screams echoed on the way down.

O-o

The archers were down. Peter and Ares raised their weapons, charging the gate. The idea of a blown up attack made his adrenaline move faster- a full scale battle was a rare occurrence. With seven hundred 

and ninety two more people at the front, the Titan's realized how badly they were out numbered. One raised a walkie talkie, and Rissa clubbed him firmly on the head. As if on cue, there was a blast of white light and the gates blew open. He couldn't tell if it was Eden or someone else.

O-o

Carlie Jenks shifted her weight as she waited in line for water. So slow, always slow. A guard walked briskly down the line, and she straightened. Not that it mattered anymore, if what she heard was true. She was to die that night. All because her late brother's best friend's sister had thought it would be funny to squirt an official with water, and their family had been dragged off to this… 'law camp'. If it weren't for her, she wouldn't be here. If it weren't for her, her brother would still be alive.

Carlie's heart squeezed painfully. But there was no one to blame- Jack's best friend Ülin's sister Mírun had died of pneumonia- she hadn't known it still existed- shortly after arrival.

"You there." The guard pointed to the person behind her. "You slouch." He roughly pushed him, and he fell to the ground. "No water for everyone behind him." He gave a sick smile.

Carlie felt their despair, but there was nothing any of them could do.

All of a sudden, a body landed in front of her. Blinking, she looked up. Faceless figures were standing on the walls, and bodies were falling. Slowly, her ears registered a pounding from the front gate- someone was breaking in.

She found she didn't care. They were going to die anyway- and it might not be so bad. Just to let go…

With a loud _boom!_, the gate swung open. More faceless figures entered. Only the outlines of their bodies were visible; their cloaks turned the color of sand. Many of them, though, were discarding them and shoving them into a pocket; clearly they were getting in the way.

The Office door blew open, and the manticore that Carlie often thought as the Big Apple came out.

He began running towards the water line- now scattered and panicking, tail raised. With a sinking feeling, Carlie understood. He was going to kill them, before these… people could get to them. Was it a rebel attack? If so, they were late. They all had placed their hopes in the resistance, waiting, daily for them to come. So far, they hadn't.

But she couldn't let herself hope. Hope was rarely rewarded.

She ducked as the first volley went over her head, most of them missing. There was barely time for relief before he cocked his tail for a second volley.

It never came.

A figure dropped off a flying horse, landing firmly on it's feet. Then it lowered it's hood.

Carlie's insides froze as she saw the narrow, pale face of Eden Emmerson. The fear that had not come when she heard about her death now washed over her. All the newspaper articles ran through her mind. _Homicidal tendencies… destruction… mass murderer… rebel…_

But she didn't kill innocents…. Usually. They were saved.

But she hadn't bargained on their leader herself showing up. She studied her face, wondering if she looked mad. Someone told her that Emmerson would blow up when she was mad, and this scared her. If it were just _normal_ rebels- then she might let herself feel hope.

"Hey! Thorn! Over here!" The words, spoken in Emmerson's voice, confused her. That didn't sound like the person on TV, in the news. Luring a manticore away from people she didn't know? What was going on here?

With a growl, the Big Apple spun. Emmerson's body tensed, and she dodged his first volley. Carlie watched in grudging amazement. She was like smoke. The Big Apple crouched, lunging. In one fluid motion, Emmerson somersaulted underneath him, rolling to her feet just three feet away from where Carlie now stood. She shoved a bag into a random person's hand- was it Jinks? Carlie couldn't tell through the dust that was not flying.

"In a few moments, a wall will blow up. Run outside, share the blankets. Hide under them and they'll block your body heat." Eden said, barely moving her lips. "And I'm _not_ homicidal." She added abruptly, looking Carlie straight in the eye.

_How?_

The manticore lunged again, and Eden vanished.

O-o

Eden's adrenaline rushed, her body acting for her. She pushed the fear to a small, unused corner of her brain. She didn't fear death. As she countered the manticore's attacks and lunges, her brain was somewhere else. With some_one_ else.

_No. Don't go there._ She thought angrily, banishing the image of a friend who was especially good at killing these spike throwing lions.

"Eden! Heads up!" Peter swept by her on Pie, Gi tailing right behind them. Eden sprang on the horse, shooting up like a rocket. Behind her, she heard a series of explosions and the sound of falling rocks.

"Ready?" She said quietly, eyes fixed on a hovercraft aiming for them. Peter nodded, pressing his lips together. Gäldstrup joined them up in the air, watching in Eden shot three pigeons in one shot. "3…2…"She shoved all her energy into her feet, waiting. "1!" There was a loud bang, and a flash of white light that nearly blinded the three of them for a moment. The lifters broke off the hovercraft, and it spun towards earth. Everyone looked up, and they shot off in three different directions. There were alarmed 

cries of their names from below, and half the guard lifted into the air, riding some kind of flying board. It looked like a snowboard.

She shot forward, spinning around on the horse's back and sending arrows at the rate of ten per minute behind her. But the boards were _fast_.

_Catch me!_ She ordered as they got closer, flipping off Gi's back. She shipped out her sword and dagger, slashing wildly around her. she flinched as the edge of one of the board connected with her shoulder. then they were gone, and once again she was on Gi's back. Four bodies lay on the ground behind her.

_Y'all right?_ Gi asked, rolling as an arrow passed them. She nodded, tense. _Then lets go for it. _They shot back over the camp, and more flying creatures shot up after them. Dawn led more of them in a different direction, trying the clear the ground. It was working, and with shouts of _Maia!_, the archers lifted off the walls.

With clear targets, they couldn't miss. As long as the people at the top of their hit list moved quickly enough, the change that they would be hit was small. Overall, Eden decided they were luckier that they had had a right to expect.

Apollo cackled evilly as no less than seven hundred and seventy five winged serpents chased after him. But they all knew that had to hurry, before Atlas or Kronos himself showed up.

Eden swerved, coming up alongside Artemis and Ido. "We have to scat. They'll be here soon." Artemis nodded grimly.

"They're all in the woods. We should hurry." Eden looked down at their dead, lying in heaps below her. There would be no time for searching for bodies. The thought sent a shock of regret through her. She knew the hunters were alive- they buzzed on the edge of her consciousness. But Adam, Greg, Peter, Dil? They could be anywhere. But they were winning.

Eden calmly surveyed the battle, eyes flicking from fight to fight. She felt like she had switched to battle-Eden, where no emotion or fear could reach her.

The reinforcements would probably be there soon. Now or never.

She concentrated on her adrenaline, buzzing near the surface. It had taken many years to keep in check, but carefully she coaxed the energy out, bringing it up to her face, into her eyes. She squeezed them shut, tense.

She could hear fighting all around her- was that Dawn she heard? Carefully, she squinted, holding her energy back…

Yes, it was dawn. And sixty seven venomous, winged worms.

She relaxed, and two cones of pure energy shot out. She spread her hands apart slightly, and they separated. Lifting her left finger, the left cone tipped up, stabbing the leader in the neck before it 

exploded. She tiled her head, and the second one aimed for the center. It struck on in the wing, and it fell, screaming.

_Man on!_ Gi warned, and spun, bringing her face to face with a chimera- a cross between what looked like a monster goose and a poison arrow frog. Venom shimmered on its feathers, and it opened it's mouth to reveal a forked tongue.

Her eyes widened some, and a small ripple of fog curled out, moving closer… closer… reforming into something more solid. Eden jerked her head back, and the energy whip cracked, coiling around it's wings. Gi spun away as it fell, finally exploding half way to the ground.

That gave her an idea, though.

As the chimera's scream alerted others, drawing them closer to where she sat, hungry for… whatever they wanted, her whole body lit up.

She concentrated on the Titan emblem, on all the uniforms and slung around monster's necks. She imagined it burning, hissing some ancient greek words, thinking of their emblem and a desire to protect. Slowly, white mist curled off her body, floating through the air. She cast her eyes down, and it slowly started to sink.

Three blobs of green light shot from Poseidon's trident, forming into faceless, giant outlines. They hurdled through the fight, lifting off into the air, wringing the necks of Titan soldiers.

The Mist was draining her energy quickly; gasping for breath, she leaned forward on Gi's back. Something- through her haze, she couldn't tell what- lunged at her; a glowing silver arrow struck it and it fell back.

Artemis drifted next to her, riding a reindeer. "C'mon, lets hurry!" She hissed urgently, and Gi obediently shot after her through the thick mist that was covering the field. The tingling feeling was fading, and slowly so did the mist. She looked down where it cleared, seeing a mass of bodies.

It was over.

O-o

**Bubblegum- Thanks. **

**Pineconeface- gotta love Thal. And… Kewl?**

**Jon Pierce- It just popped into my head. Here's more of him. **


	36. Chapter 36

_Artemis drifted next to her, riding a reindeer. "C'mon, lets hurry!" She hissed urgently, and Gi obediently shot after her through the thick mist that was covering the field. The tingling feeling was fading, and slowly so did the mist. She looked down where it cleared, seeing a mass of bodies._

_It was over._

o-o

Dear Thalia

We're dead. We're all dead.

Just last week, The 'president' passed a rule stating that you must show identification, and may only take the food allotted to your family. No more, no less. Farmers crops are carefully monitored, security is tighter than ever, all deer are tagged so they know when one is killed and storeowners need a special license.

All in the name of safety, of course.

Their real plan? Starve out the Seattle resistance. The figure, all the disposable ones- the ones that won't have new information- will succumb quickly, while us tougher ones will last longer when they finally find and question us. They think if we fall, the other bases will come out- this measure hasn't been launch.

They're right about the first part, but we're stronger than they think. Or at least, we would like to believe it so.

Yesterday, there was a public execution. Big time criminal (Threw a _dung bomb_ at a guard. Twice.) the guards and monsters... grilled him and ate him, in front of a crowd. Some of them auctully cheered. Disgusting. There wasn't anything we could do- we can't risk all for one man.

Time. We need time.

And we're running out.

Yours,

E


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N another depressing emo chapter. I'll have action in the next one, trust me. This chapter is dedicated to all the victims of 9/11, though they're not really realted. I'll blow something up in the next chapter to make up for it. **

**I was watching some clips of the attack on the news last Thursday. It makes me angry- how do you use your religion to justify that to yourself? What happened to 'Thou shal not kill'? I don't understand. I had nightmares. **

_Time. We need time._

_And we're running out._

_Yours,_

_E_

**O-o**

"Eden, tell Rissa to pass me that list."

Eden didn't look up from her typing. "Rissa, pass Adam that list."

"Tell Adam to get it himself."

"Adam, get it yourself."

"Tell Rissa to go squirrel a stick."

"Riss, go squirrel a- _excuse_ me?" Eden turned to look at Adam, frowning. "_Squirrel _a _stick?_" Adam carefully avoided Rissa's gaze, tracing the patterns on the long wooden table with his fingers. Eden shook her head in disgust, glowering at the both, (individually) before going back to her laptop. Her stomach rumbled, and Adam's answered.

"_Eden, please report to the kitchens. I repeat, Eden, please report to the kitchens."_A voice cackled. She groaned.

"Great. Now I have to spent time _looking_ at food, too. Where's the justice."

"Won't be looking at much." Adam rose to follow her- because god forbid he be in a room alone with his ex. (They called it 'smash', as in 'Adam, did you smash again?')

"Right." Eden stalked out, the frozen grass making a dull crunching sound under her feet. _Damn-crunch, damn-crunch, damn-crunch_.

The kitchen was a long low building next the the dining hall, located at the far end of the green. The walk gave Eden time to mentally prepare herself for the attack on her stomach. She was not disappointed.

"We have," Olila pointed to the cupboard, "Some cheese, flour, old tomatoes, and little bits of meat that we can eat today."

Wonderful. "I can't cook worth a crap, Ol. Why am I here?" Olila sighed.

"Peter said you might have an idea. Was there ever anything made with cheese, bread, tomatoes and meat that you ever saw or heard of?"

_Cheese… tomatoes… bread… bread… cheese…_" What was it called? She searched her memory, a fuzzy image coming to mind. _Cheese… tomatoes… bread… pepperoni! Pepperoni… pie? No, that was something else. Pepperoni… I started with a P. What starts with a P? Pi… Pizzen? No, that wasn't right. Pizzy? Pizzul? _

The image solidified in her mind. A circle of thin bread, topped by tomato sauce, cheese and random vegis and meat. But the more she tried to recall, the farther it went. A sign, Dominoes? How come she could remember the name of the company, and not the food?

"There was…" She frowned, trying.

_She, Emily and Lila sat around a small round table. Eden lifted the menu, running her eyes down the list. _

"_They used to serve this every day at camp." Emily smiled slightly. "But then the parents started to complain." _

"_Aw," Lila lamented. Snow fell outside, and Christmas carols played through the speakers, and Eden felt safe. Monsters were in hibernation. She hadn't been kicked out of school yet. It was Christmas. _

"_May I take your order?" An official looking man materialized next to them. _

"_I'll have pepperoni." Lila decided, dropping her menu. "And another coke."_

"_Did you drink that already?" Eden laughed, studying Lila's empty glass. There was a blue square logo on it, and it read 'Dominoes Pizza'. _

Pizza! She had loved it. How had she forgotten pizza?

O-o

"Where'd ya'set go? I was looking for you." She heard the voices of a group of kids as if from a great distance, though they were really hardly ten feet away. Angrily, she shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. Lucky kids. They lived in one time; their own. Her eyes moved across the self standing buildings, all the new technology. When she was young, she had thought that she was so far ahead, and now…

She closed her eyes, leaning up against the side of the dub-say (bathroom.) What she wouldn't give for just a day in her own time, where people didn't look at her funny or scream when she got too close. Where she could say a word like 'duh' or 'cool' or used 'like' out of context and not have people look at her funny, when there wasn't a new load of slang she had to learn.

She thought of Harry Potter. It had been so long since she had thought of Harry Potter, The Lord Of The Rings, or To Kill A Mockingbird. Her favorite books. And _Apollo 13._that had been a great movie.

And the technology. There had been something about holding a camera, seeing it focus, as opposed to commanding something to do it for you. It wasn't the same. Editing onscreen as opposed to telling it what to do. The internet. Myspace- not that she had ever been allowed to have one. Soccer. Ultimate Frisbee. All the things that had faded out, vanished with the passing of the centuries.

She looked sadly up at the sky. Grey. It felt like the sun hadn't come out since she turned ten, though in reality it had been but two short months.

And her mother. What she would give- even all this, immortality be damned. She wanted to see her mother again, see her smile, hug her after surviving a NDE. She wrapped her arms around herself, closing her eyes, imagining that it was her mother holding her, comforting her.

She imagined herself grown up, and maybe- her insides squeezed in disgust- married. Maybe. Maybe she would have gotten married, had a kid.

_You would doom your great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great to this? You would have let the Titans take over the word and do nothing?_

_But I would be dead... I wouldn't have to deal with it. _

_But it would still happen! _

But it didn't matter. She _had_ joined the hunt, and she was going to turn 1000 next month. God, this was dumb (another word that was never used.)

The gods had been in NYC for awhile- but then the State building had been blown up in the great war of '500. She had been six when bin Laden's body was found.

They had been in Antarctica during most of the War, stalking a polar bear/lion chimera. There had been smaller wars, too… France had gobbled England a couple hundred years ago, and… she didn't want to think about it.

Eden realized her life would have made an interesting book… but it wouldn't happen. She was going to die. Nothing would last forever. Someday, even if their resistance failed, someday the gods would defeat the Titans. It might not be now, it might not be soon. But nothing would last forever…. Someday, the Titans would fall. They were in an eternal power struggle. And maybe someday the half-bloods would rebel. Maybe.

And maybe crickets and cicada's would become un-extinct.

O-o

**Jon Pierce- **here it is… the next chapter. Ta-da!

**Lidm30- **Good oh well or bad oh well? Are you grossed out w/ the cannibalism? I promised it in the summary…

**Bubblegum11- **Thanks. I'm working on my beginnings.

**Next Time:**

_Dawn. Dawn was heading towards her. _

Let it go…

_Dawn's face filled her mind. Could she do that? Leave the resistance leader-less, leave the Hunt to fend for themselves? _


	38. Chapter 38

**sings**

**Where have all my reviewers gone?  
Just bubblegum and lildm.  
Where have all my reviewers gone?  
I only got two.**

**Where have all my reviewers gone?  
They have left me one by one.  
When will they ever review?  
When will they ever review?**

**Where are Hunter, Jon and Music?  
Just bubblegum and lildm  
Where are Hunger, Jon and Music?  
Long time ago  
Where are Hunter, Jon and Music?  
They have ditched me, one by one  
When will they ever review?  
When will they ever review?**

**(To the tune of 'where have all the flowers gone?'. This is my best yet.) **

_Eden realized her life would have made an interesting book… but it wouldn't happen. She was going to die. Nothing would last forever. Someday, even if their resistance failed, someday the gods would defeat the Titans. It might not be now, it might not be soon. But nothing would last forever…. Someday, the Titans would fall. They were in an eternal power struggle. And maybe someday the half-bloods would rebel. Maybe._

_And maybe crickets and cicada's would become un-extinct._

O-o

4:27 p.m.

Eden shifted under the pile of rubble. _Just let go…_ Her mind begged. _Does it matter? You've lived for centuries. Just let go…_

_NO! _the other half of her brain cried, struggling to the surface. _No! I don't want to die._

_You do. _The first half argued.

_SHUT UP!_ Eden screamed at both voices, and they fell silent. One the one hand, it was so, so tempting… the pain would finally stop. She shifted slightly, wincing as something dug into her ankle. Ouch.

But on the other…

_Eden? Where the hell are you? I know you're alive. I can feel your buzz. Eden?_

Dawn. Dawn was heading towards her.

_Let it go…_

Dawn's face filled her mind. Could she do that? Leave the resistance leader-less, leave the Hunt to fend for themselves?

_I don't want to die!_

The voice was louder now.

_Thalia… Jessica… Laurel…don't you want to kick Ria's butt? You'll see them all again._

_I DON'T WANT TO DIE!_

She hated being underground. The underworld was underground. This pile of rubble made her underground. She did not want to spend eternity underground.

_So spend it above. You CAN live forever. You can dig your way out of this. MOVE!_

_Eden? _Dawn was closer...

Agh. She forced herself up, bracing her hands and feet on a cement slab above her, feeling that she should thank that wooden beam that had saved her life.

_What? Eden, are you insane? How can you thank a beam? _Damn. She thought of that kids movie, Pinocchio, that she had seen at age six. Fortunatly, her concience was not a little, obnoxious bug that thought that stars could make your dreams come true. (They couldn't.)

Come to think of it, she probably was. How had she gotten here? Did she hit her head? The choice of her death had taken over her mind, as she forgot what she had forgotten.

The cement moved forward, and she paused. She didn't know what was out there. She had forgotten. How had she forgotten?

No, she remembered, didn't she?

_You were raiding. For food. Gäldstrup wouldn't let you go. You snuck out. You probably squished everything._

The second part of her brain muttered. No, she remembered that part. She could clearly recall sneaking out, standing on top of a building?

O-o

3:56 p.m.

Greg raised his sword as the guards bore down on the small group, balanced on top of the office building, hiding his fear at the back of his head as he fought. They were outnumbered, and they all knew it.

Newcamhovs drifted closer, their lenses glittering in the light. Great. They were on the news again. Derek made a rude hand gesture at the cam, just as it fell to the ground.

"Thanks a lot." Eden snorted, flicking her chin skywards. Half a dozen more cams hit the ground with a crash.

"You weren't supposed to be here!" the General snapped at her, kicking one mortal over the edge and taking out a hell hound with one well aimed spin.

"And since when have I ever done what I was supposed to, Greg?" She countered, raising her own bag off food. "Thanks for the diversion. Though I _think_ I might have given the poor owner a heart attack. I left him a-"

"What's a heart attack?" Derek demanded, yelping as fangs narrowly passed his arm. He didn't bother to listen for an answer as he dodged blows, adrenaline racing. Fear pressed itself against the side of his head, but he didn't let it through. He had been in too many fights to the death already... this should be a... what had Eden said? A piece of cake.

But they somehow ended up in the heart of Seattle in their flight, and they were outnumbered.

Eden hardly flinched, somehow managing to channel her useful skill of holding a conversation and fighting for her life at the same time.

_I told him_. Eden thought, annoyed. _They would have been dinner. Suppose it's good we didn't send rookies- but if I hadn't had to sneak away… damn damn damn. Then again, it's not worth the dungeons again… _she stopped thinking as her instincts took over.

A low purr of a hover craft made her heart stop. "Damn." She growled as official-looking reinforcements emerged. One stepped forward importantly, hand on his sword.

"Going to arrest us?" Eden smirked, slamming something- she couldn't tell what- over the edge.

"Obraining food without an aprofin is not the highest on your list of crimes, Emmerson." He glowered.

"_Oh. _Silly me. That's what we forgot, Peter! Our _licence!_"

"What kind of word is _license?_" Peter demanded as the Titinental Army backed into a ring around the, trapping them.

"Who uses 'obtained' in a normal sentence?"

"This is not a time for jokes." The guard glowered, drawing his sword.

"Oh. I thought you were joking. _Aprofin._" Eden said without humor, eyes narrowing. "I'd offer to pay, if you wanted, but I'm afraid that it might count as-" She smirked at the word "-'unpreviced' attack." Quickly, she looked at their options. They were surrounded. Another craft droned overhead. "Houston, we have a problem." She smirked. Her grey eyes flicked upwards. She was pretty sure it wasn't preppy officials up there this time. "In thirty seven seconds, I'll cause a diversion. Run." She muttered to Derek, Greg and Dawn. "Half of them will follow you. Meet you on fourty-seventh."

"Just blow something _big _up!" Peter objected.

Eden glanced at a cam, wondering who was watching. Did they hope for them? Hate them? Were they scared? Did they want it all to go away and not bother them? Were they shocked a _fourteen _year old was messing up their perfect lives? What she said next was partly for their benefit. "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not homicidal. NOW!"

Three things happened at once. There was a flicker of light, and a light post fell, raising a cloud of dust. Half the group jumped off one edge of the building, and Eden and Peter sprung from one rooftop to the next, clearing an impossible distance in one bound.

"Hey!" The official blinked. "You're under arrest!"

"Frankly, I don't give a damn." Eden quoted, wondering vaguely if that book was still in print. Probably not, but the had Odyssey had lasted almost as long? She wasn't sure. People still read it… though she didn't think fluffy Georgia romances were up there on the list. Her overall feeling of Scarlet was not complementary.

Civilians screamed as they sprinted down the street, with half the guard following. Cams tailed them, much to Eden's annoyance, their faces broadcasted on nearby public screens.

More guards and monsters were coming towards them… Eden knocked an arrow. _Ping!_ The first- a hellhound- fell mid lunge. Lucky shot.

As they ran, Lars somehow pulled up next to them. All three of them were running too fast to stop, and Eden just had enough time to duck as Lars swung at her head. She felt her hair band snap, and her light hair fell loose around her face, partially blocking her vision.

Well, crap.

The swing had slowed Lars down a little, and they pulled ahead.

"Turn." Eden muttered, trying not to move her lips. They tried, but the way was blocked.

Lars smiled at them. "Took a short cut. Two in one, uha?"

"Nope," Eden said, popping the 'P'. "Convey my regards to Atlas, and tell him I wish him the luck of the redcoats. We're in a hurry."

A pothole lid spun at him, and he ducked. The lid shattered against a wall. A few loose rocks followed, but Eden had to admit he was good. The last one hit him in the shoulder, but he didn't seem fazed.

She almost expected him to run his fingers through his wavy, red-brown hair, and smile sarcastically at the cameras. Like, _no big deal. There are just a half dozen people in the area that want me dead. No biggie_. Lars reminded her somewhat of the 'cool' guys at her school- but she hadn't wanted to kill any of _them._ (Usually).

Eden jerked her chin up slightly, aware of the monsters closing in behind them. A trash can whirled at him, and he knocked it out of the way as a brick collided with his forehead.

_Yes!_ A tiny bit of her allowed hope. It didn't hurt that this was the first time she'd seen him in three years, since- she didn't let herself complete that thought. Was today, finally-?

Lars lunged. They had no warning- pure reflexes kept the two half bloods alive. Eden turned a summersault, rolling between his legs, as Peter whirled to one side, sticking his foot out. Both Lars and Peter toppled over, and rolled away from each other instinctively. (Eden later pointed out that Peter could have strangled him then and there. Darn those reflexes.)

The fear that had jumped up with Peter's fall ebbed slightly Peter got up- but came back when she realized that the armies were less than two blocks away now. She knocked an arrow shakily, aimed for Lars's neck.

"Don't want to get too close? I'm sure you loved our- what is the word you used?- _hospitality._"

With a snarl, she lunged, swinging her sword. He raised his own to block it, causing Eden to gasp slightly as the flat of his blade struck her chest. She changed the direction of her own sword mid swing, and Lars growled as she hit her mark. Averting her eyes from the body part lying on the ground, she couldn't help but feel a grim satisfaction. The Castellan family line would die with Lars, for as far as she was aware he had no relatives.

And no longer could he have children.

"Yes. The view was probably nice, though the maid service left something to be desired." She hissed in his ear. "Go to hell."

A cam turned towards the discarded body part, and she raised an eyebrow. "You are one perverted camera." She informed it, wondering if anyone watching would know what 'perverted' meant.

"Eden!" The monsters had finally rounded the corner, and were no more than ten feet away. Horror and regret surged through her- she had been so, so close. (Though it might be worth letting him live, without means to reproduce or go to the bathroom.)

They spun on to forty seventh, where Dawn and the others had already reached. They were coming into sight. Closer… closer…and… something sailed over her head. Eden skidded to a stop as she recognized what it was, turning to Peter in panic.

The rest seemed to happen in slow motion. The explosion. Running, running… towards the building, running towards Dawn, to all the people inside that didn't deserve this.

Fire.

Her hair drifted loose around her face, and she realized the danger was worse; had Lars really killed her by _cutting_ off a _hair band?_

She sprinted inside, dodging the flames. Heat seered her skin, and if her dad hadn't been Poseidon she would have been fried. Her heart hammered loudly as she knelt by an unconscious body. _I am alive. Right now, I am alive. I might be about to lose that. I am alive._

The body stirred slightly, cracking an eye. She could see him open his mouth to scream as he saw her face. "I'm not homicidal." She repeated her earlier words, hoisting him up. She closed her eyes, concentrating, and a jet of water shot out the back of her head, putting out some of the fires in their path. She rolled him down the walk, checking to make sure that Gäldstrup got him. The monsters were backing off from the inferno, seeming to accept that the rebels would die inside.

4:26 p.m.

There was a creak, and with a dull horror Eden realized what was happening. She fled- but not quickly enough. With a groan, the building fell around her.

…**and you all know what happens. : ). I was going to add more, but I'll do it next chapter. I only have 2 more sub plots planned before the end, and an epilogue. (I might write it again from Lar's POV, but I'm not sure… if I do, the updates won't be too regular.) So I'm **_**finally**_** almost done. Yay! It'll feel weird, abandoning Peter and Eden and Dawn and Greg. I like Greg. : ). Eden is an interesting character to write, though. Cuz she goes all emo sometimes, and can't always grasp the world she was thrown into. So I don't have to make up all the new words, because, let's face it. That would be way, way hard. **

**Lildm: **no kidding. Sick, isn't it?

**Bubblegum: **1000 years ago, Charlemagne was taking over Europe, and Jesus was born. (I think.) We've come a long way- and it's really hard to think that far ahead. I should have stuck with a century…


	39. Chapter 39

**I have the next chapter written, so I'll update pretty quickly… if you review. But I'll crack. I DO want to hit 200 by the end of this story, though. **

_The body stirred slightly, cracking an eye. She could see him open his mouth to scream as he saw her face. "I'm not homicidal." She repeated her earlier words, hoisting him up. She closed her eyes, concentrating, and a jet of water shot out the back of her head, putting out some of the fires in their path. She rolled him down the walk, checking to make sure that Gäldstrup got him. The monsters were backing off from the inferno, seeming to accept that the rebels would die inside._

_4:26 p.m._

_There was a creak, and with a dull horror Eden realized what was happening. She fled- but not quickly enough. With a groan, the building fell around her._

_O-o_

"_And I'm here at forty seventh and Pike street, at the site of mass destruction. At four twenty one p.m. today, a rebel gang of Gregory Gäldstrup, Derek Benestion, Peter Johnson, The Hunter, Dawn (who's last name is unknown) and of course, Eden Emmerson, who showed up later, fell a light post, and fled the scene. Later, Lars Castellan caught up with her and Johnson. For out new viewers, she removed his… well, you know. She very pointedly avoided it. _

_While fleeing along Pike, they seem to have bombed these few houses over here. . Johnson and Emmerson have not yet emerged from the scene. We bring you live coverage."_

O-o

Viewers watched, enthralled, as Dawn carefully walked through the scene of destruction, calling for her lieutenant.

"Eden?" She paused, listening. "Peter?"

There was no answer.

She moved silently through the wreckage, watching the ground- In the back ground you could see the other two doing them same.

Then, to the shock and amazement of many, one of the slabs started to glow bright, bright white. The camera lenses swiveled, trying to compensate for the brilliant light that would blind it's viewers, darkening it until it almost looked like night out. Dawn turned, running away as fast as she could.

No one saw the internal conversation.

_What the hell, Eden. Are you trying to kill me, since Lars didn't? _

_How close are you?_

_Um, like… six feet. I dunno what system they use now. _

_Doesn't matter. Run!_

The camera shot backwards, trying to avoid the falling gravel. Greg raised his shield over his and Derek's heads.

The moment it stopped falling, both Dawn and the cameras moved forward.

"Lord Zeus Almighty, Eden. You should have given us some warning." Gäldstrup grumbled, lowering his shield. Eden scrambled to her feet, wiping off some blood that was trickling towards her eye.

'What did you _want _me to do? If I tried to lift it, it would just fall down and smash my face in the second I moved my feet."

O-o

"_And Emmerson has now emerged, though Johnson is still nintin. Our forces are trying to get closer, but due to the unsteadynice of the space, it is proving difficult."_

O-o

Dawn snorted loudly as the camera zoomed in on her face. "Dumb cowards."

"What?"

"Don't you see? Everything here-" She glanced at the skeleton building scattered around, shaking her head in disgust, "-is dangerous. They're betting we die here, and don't want to risk it… and they don't want to admit it was them that blew it up in the first place." The camera swiveled away quickly, but not before the enthralled watchers saw her expression. But why, they asked each other, would their own military blow up their buildings, endangering lives? Only the cynics remained silent, not daring to speak.

"Selectist!" Derek shouted after it.

"I'll ask you what that means later." Eden said, showing up behind them and looking panicked. "I can't find Peter."

O-o

A rock near Dawn shifted slightly, and she dropped to her knees. "Peter?"

Eden appeared next to her, looking confused. "It isn't him."

"How do you know?" Hope- dangerous hope- had stirred in her.

"I just do." Every part of Eden's body was screaming to go and look for her brother- but could she leave another to the same fate? Feeling strangely calm, she began tossing rubble over her shoulder. No monsters would come for awhile- they were safe. She laughed quietly at the irony of that thought. Safe at Ground Zero.

But worry about Peter clouded her thoughts- it took all her energy not to leave the mysterious person under the rocks. A camera hesitantly edged closer. Within minutes, it was clear that this person was a child. The outline began to come clear under the rocks, and Eden pulled them away faster. No child deserved to die. This wasn't their war.

The small girl twitched slightly, tears falling quickly down her face. "Mémé!" She looked confused as Eden picked her up.

At this, viewers began to panic, wondering what fate Emmerson had in store for this six year old. Why hadn't the authorities gotten there? Why were only rebels looking through the rubble?

The poor child's hair was partilly singed away, and she could see large pieces of skin where her shirt had burned. KeepAwaySham- the shampoo that everyone used once every six months, that kept hair from tangling or getting oily or dirty- (Artemis forced the hunters to use it, much to their objection. But tangled hair caught on something could be fatal, and, reluctantly, they washed their hair twice a year… still with grumbling and moaning.) showed that her hair was light brown.

"You're mother isn't here right now." Eden said gently, shooting an anxious glance at Dawn.

"Fire." Whimpered the girl. "There was fire. I want my mémé!"

"Where did you last see her?" Eden asked quietly. The girl looked around, confused. "She was in our kitchen. At home. But I'm not at home! I don't know where I am!" she broke down into hysterical sobs.

"We'll look for your mother." Dawn said gently.

But a passing camera caught Eden's anxious whimper: "Don't make promises you can't keep. There is a good chance she's dead."

O-o

They unearthed another half dozen living people in the next hour- none of whom were Peter Johnson. All of whom screamed when they saw the famous 'homicidal' resistors. They also found seven dead bodies.

Despair slowed the group, but it was that small, small bit of hope that kept them going. If they hadn't found him, there was still a good chance he was alive.

A tear formed on a heap of white ash- it took Eden a moment to realize it was her own. All those people… at least seven who had lives, families.

Not anymore.

So when the General gave another shout, she cursed the hope that raised it's sleepy head, beating it back. She could not afford to hope. Not right now.

So why, then, did she throw herself into the dig, all the while telling herself it was not her brother in there, just another dead stranger? Had she felt some pull to the spot, or was it luck?

As if that existed anymore.

Peter banged the side again, pushing with all his might. He was trapped in what must have been a large food storage cabinet. It was airtight, and running out of air.

"Peter?" They were here! They have found him. He flung his whole weight against the door, which opened, and he rolled out… on to Greg, who had clearly just opened it.

Then he froze, staring out at rubble that had just a moment ago been a set of buildings.

"Ground Zero." Eden said dryly, trying not to look too pleased to see him. _He's alive. He's alive. He's alive._ She hadn't realized that she cared so much.

"On the up side," She finally said, raising her pack, "I saved the food."

O-o

"This is _so_ not a good idea." Peter hissed in Eden's ear as they sat on a train, eyes flicking from person to person. Eden couldn't agree more; her whole body was tense. Enclosed spaces made her jittery, feeling like something was about to close in on them.

"How else could we get back?" She checked her brown wig in the screen reflection in front of her. She had to admit that disguises in the thirty first century were much, much better then those in the twenty first. She could barely recognize herself.

Which, all things considered, was a good thing.

The maglev moved, shooting over the city- which didn't help Eden's nerves. They got tighter and tighter, almost like she knew something was coming.

She was right.

As they started to pass over the woods, the maglev slowed to a stop. Eden glanced at Greg across the aisle, who's eyes tightened.

The cabin door opened, and in walked a giant wolf.

A giant wolf with flames seeming to come off his body, who's eyes were bright, intelligent, and full of loathing.

"I don't need to eat my wife to change shapes." The wolf's mouth curled into a grin. Eden's stomach fell through the floor, the track, and splattered on the grass a hundred meters below them.

Kronos.

O-o

**Ooohhh… cliffie! And I know what happens and you don't! This story is nearing completion. Finally! It took longer then I thought it would. ********. **

**Lildm- **She ducked when Lars tried to decapitate her.

**Jon Pierce- **well sorr-y. I did all that in, like, sixth grade. I've forgotten already.

**De Hunter- **but reviewing is still good. I have another song in mind for next time… ahem.

**Musiclover- **sigh Ok… I forgive you… but reviewing is still good, you know. You guys are my only steady reviewers, and Honest has abandoned me.

O-o

**Coming soon:**

Fear was pouring through her, and adrenaline sharpened her vision. In that moment, she became aware of several things.

1- None of them would make it out of this alive

2- But she could stall them

3- the wolf was about to spring, and Dawn and the General had exactly two point seven five seconds before he did so.


	40. Chapter 40

**Sorry for the wait. This chap has been written for days, but I can't update on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and every other Monday. I have after school activities and too much homework…**

**We're supposed to practice our spelling words. See if you can catch any. If you do, you can nominate the next Beta Reader victim, to go up against Thalia, Artemis and Aphrodite in the "Final". : ) **

_A giant wolf with flames seeming to come off his body, who's eyes were bright, intelligent, and full of loathing._

"_I don't need to eat my wife to change shapes." The wolf's mouth curled into a grin. Eden's stomach fell through the floor, the track, and splattered on the grass a hundred meters below them._

_Kronos._

_O-o_

Their disguises exploded, though they did not will it so. For some reason, this hit a nerve. Kronos knew who they were- did he really have to be so ostentatious? Half a dozen cameras shot in behind the wolf. Didn't privacy exist in this world?

"Fucking hell." The emergency door banged open, and Eden swung Peter through it, hoping he would remember how his shoes worked. Derek fled after him without hesitating, proving how great the danger was. Derek normally would not flee from any enemy- and he was a sucker for a challenge. (It must be a feature of the Y chromosome. Peter was like that too. Or maybe they were both just stupid.) Dawn and Greg, though their bodies were clearly screaming _run! Run!_ Faltered by the door, glancing at Eden.

Fear was pouring through her, and adrenaline sharpened her vision. In that moment, she became aware of several things.

1- None of them would make it out of this alive

2- But she could stall them

3- the wolf was about to spring, and Dawn and the General had exactly two point seven five seconds before he did so.

A pure white whip of energy curled from her hand, smacking them hard in the back. They fell.

_Eden! Hurry!_

Dawn had pulled to a stop.

_I can't. Fly! You know what to do. _

The wolf sprung, but Eden had centuries of training on her side. Dropping to the ground, she somersaulted between the wolf's legs, rolling to her feet before anyone on board had fully realized what happened. She moved towards the open door at her end, but it banged shut. She sprang across the room for the other escape that Peter and the others had just jumped from, but she had just reached it when it too slammed. Kronos chuckled.

_Oh gods… don't let me die here 100 meters above ground in a freaking maglev._

"What's the phrase? Trapped between 'a rock and a hard place'?" Kronos hissed, eyes gleaming.

Anger scorched through her. Thalia. Jessica. Laurel. Arianna. Jackie. Her tongue loosened. "Are you the rock? Or the hard place?"

Kronos appeared to consider it. "Both. I did not have to eat my wife to change shapes." He repeated.

"Didn't stop you from eating your kids. Does cannibalism run in your family?" Eden edged towards a window. Kronos glanced it, and it rippled a moment, hardening.

_Oh gods…_ she hadn't seen Kronos in years. Not since… she refused to think about it.

He smirked slightly. "You're afraid of me."

Oh, like he'd noticed? Satyr much? "Of course." She said calmly. "I'm not an idiot. You're a power hungry Titan, And probably weigh fifty times more than me. Not that your new 'law' has helped that…you're always at the apex of your prime…_and _you could probably strangle me with your little finger."

Kronos didn't blink. "Probably. Care to test that theory?"

_Thalia. Laurel. Jessica. Ria. Jackie. Thalia. _

"Not particularly, no."

"Perhaps I should have tried it on your friends while I had a chance…"

Pain flashed across her face. Eden had caught the plural. "Jackie's dead?" She knew she shouldn't feel this much pain. Jackie was gone… but she had always imagined Jackie living her life, as she would have if she hadn't joined up. There were times when she had hoped that one hunter, at least, would survive this.

Kronos laughed. "Two and a half years ago. You did a good job on eliminating loopholes, I must admit." So he had tried to make her blab. Eden refused to think that Jackie would do it on her own- she had known what would happen.

The tainted image of her ex-friend came into her head- she beat it back. "Go to Tartarus."

He smiled, revealing rows and row of teeth. "I have already been to Tartarus, Hunter, and I'm sorry to say I did not enjoy the experience. But perhaps you should form your own opinion." Before she realized what was happening, the wolf pounced, grabbing her around the neck. Some of the passengers applauded.

"I may be at the 'apex of my prime', but you will never reach yours. Shame that to become immortal means to be so… _small._"Eden gritted her teeth.

But it wasn't over.

Her adrenaline, always so close to the surface, and going overboard with Kronos himself here, was vary easy to call forth. It coated her body like a glittering second skin… and then she exploded.

Or that was what it looked like. In reality, the energy had shot away in all directions, causing the wolf to rear back and drop her.

The applauders promptly looked terrified. _Are they seriously worried about my killing them? When their freaking, fucked up leader is here? No thank you. Like I don't have other things to worry about. _

Kronos's paw flailed for a moment, crashing a hole in the window. He jumped forward again, and she rolled towards it.

"Interesting that you name means 'delight'. I can think of nothing you are less." Kronos hissed, flames licking up his paws.

"And the name 'Lars' means 'laurel'." Pain welled up inside her at the name. "But weren't you beat by… an atomic bomb- don't think I didn't catch that, just because Zeus didn't realize you were acting in that. To be honest, I thought a holocaust was beneath you, though getting the US to be up against Japan was a great idea, it must be said- " She realized she was babbling. "Percy Jackson (age 16, 2009) Diana Chimun, (age 15, 2256) and Glindi Hunn-Hultz, (age 19, 2809)? Trust me. There are advantages. For example, I could probably jump on a plane and it's sensors couldn't tell. But you want to know the best partr?" she pressed on, heart hammering. It was between this or death, but it would hurt. He'd probably follow her… less people would die this way, she hoped.

But if she inadvertently killed them, it would be all her fault.

She catapulted herself up by pushing off the edge of a seat. Blood trickled down the window from where the sharp edges cut into her, and she gasped in pain. Eden hoped she hadn't cut anything necessary. Then, she was pushing away from the train, falling… falling… it took her a moment to remember her shoes.

"_Maia!"_ Forcing herself upright, she turned to watch… as Kronos flew through the air towards her. The occupants from the train were on the ground… alive?

If she had to run, going via air was not a good idea. She hit the ground hard, jarring her knees. There was no time to inspect the damage as Kronos landed behind her.

That was when Eden saw, heart sinking, what the bystanders were for. The Titan Lord knew she didn't want to kill them, and they were blocking any escape as they formed a terrified ring around them.

Kronos smiled, running on a sort of high. She was a goner. He had spent a decade studying her strengths, her weaknesses. He knew she could withstand physical torture. He knew she was good fighter- by human standards. And clearly she had survived the last five minutes. The Titan also knew that the only torture she caved to was emotional. She- like the rest of the weak human race- grew attached to people. Foolish. Even the gods had attachments- just another reason that they had been defeated. And he had seen the pain on Eden's face as she learned the fate of her ex-friend- she still cared, after that hunter… What was her name? Julie? No, that wasn't right… betrayed her. Weaklings.

But he had watched with his own eyes as she dropped over a balcony, taking out three people with a dislocated ankle, trying to free her friend. And, above all, he knew her fatal flaw.

Devotion.

She would give anything- _anything-_ for her cause. He had clearly seen that she had not supposed to have gone on that last raid, but she had anyway. For her gang- he had no doubt that she could survive foodless for long periods of time. The decision to run into center Seattle would cost her.

The only thing he didn't know about his greatest opponent was the strange, white light that would explode off her when she was angry or emotional. But that could be discovered.

The great wolf opened his mouth, and a dozen snakes slithered towards her. A highly poisonous breed, mixed by Typhon just last year. They could spit venom up to ten feet. The arrows left her bow so quickly that even Kronos hardly saw them, snagging the snakes in the eyes and mouth- their only weak spots.

Half the snakes fell still- the others struggled to keep advancing, preparing to spit. They didn't get a chance.

Emmerson opened her own mouth, letting shimmering white serpents of her own on his. The glowing figures wrapped tightly around the armored ones. A crazed hissing sound filled the air, and the mortals covered their ears. The Titan snakes sank into the ground, and the white ones dissolved, blown away on the wind.

"Pet snakes, huh?" There was a challenge in her eye. "It would take you probably ten seconds to kill me, and you hide behind _snakes?_" But the effort of creating her own creatures had tired her- if only slightly. Clearly she had grown stronger.

"Then why not die by snake and be saved from something more painful." Kronos wasn't laughing anymore. This was getting annoying. "Why are you still here?"

Now she was the one smiling. "A distraction."

**O-o**

**Duh nuh nuh nuh nuh naaoooowwww. This is the last sub plot. I'll miss my characters, but oh well. I'll be posting a chapter index and maybe the original outline after the epilogue. **_**And**_** you finally found out about the fatal flaw thing. : ). **

**Anyone want to guess who will live and who will die? **

**T'BD'A: **You're wish is my command 

**Jon Pierce: **Anyone who reviews (almost) all my stories from the first chapter of the first story (no matter how lame) is not an idiot. : )

**Musiclover: **Thanks.

**Lildm: **But it means you'll read the next chapter…

**Bubblegum:**__I couldn't resist. It's just so… so _Eden._ She has issues.


	41. Chapter 41

**Greetings, ye mortals!**

**Why hath thou not granted me with more than four reviews? Where be BookWormBandGeek, JetLinkon, Joshua Kasmir Kosh, Miss.Broadway, Monster, O Wingless One, Rhiannon, Sa Rat, The Pool Of Relams, Timballisto, Yoshi with a bazooka, annabeth22, coolkid, gab4eva, jasmine, kargon, kiss rock god of thunder…? Why hath thou abandoned me? **

**Woah. The rain was just pounding away on our roof like there was no tomorrow, then abruptly stopped. Weird. **

**I feel so happy that I can finally start the ending that I've been writing in my head for weeks. Yippe! **

_O-o_

_Then why not die by snake and be saved from something more painful." Kronos wasn't laughing anymore. This was getting annoying. "Why are you still here?"_

_Now she was the one smiling. "A distraction."_

O-o

He knew he shouldn't get himself into these situations. Eden was going to kill him. But then, seeing as Kronos, Oceanus, Helios, Themis, Coeus and Atlas were seated in a semi-circle below him, they had to be up to something.

Trying to calm his breathing, Adam crouched against the ceiling, a recorder hidden in his sleeve. The slightest movement would give him away, but this was too important.

He was glad he had the recorder, because his mind was too clogged with fear to fully listen to what they were saying. They had discussed their plans for Eden- but it wasn't anything he hadn't guessed. They had talked about some of their raids, but they didn't seem to be on to them. They had discussed the bloody stunt in Japan- Eden hadn't been thrilled with it, but they didn't hear untill after the fact. On the upside, most countries had a base by now. There was cause for hope.

Coeus, Titan of Intelligence, was standing before the others, a screen behind him, showing different angles of some sort of missle.

"We have devised a chemical that feeds ichor, and have filled it with the chemicals- Idoni Niride and Possium Chlortrate." Adam's blood froze. Those two substances were known to randomly explode, with devastating results. If they had figured out how to rein it- for the secrets of science were unknown to even the almightily. "In it, we have placed a type of acid, infused with the desire for ichor. Once it comes into close contact, it will explode. We have made it so that it will be a small explosion, so that it will not kill by accident… it will disintegrate the god in question so that they will never be able to reform- only feel pain. The chemicals are in two different containers inside, but once they mix they will continually destroy each other, crumbling into smaller and smaller pieces. If you tried to make two small pieces toutch, it would result in a minor explosion. Therefore, the body will always have to be left in one place, for small explosions will continually happen for at least a few millennia. It would be too dangerous to touch. It will split into smaller and smaller pieces untill there is nothing left to split, and by then it will be beyond hope of reform."

_Oh my gods._ Adam pictured his dad, face twisted in agony as he crumbled, never to return...

A slow, sick smile spread across Kronos's face. "Excellent. What would happen if it hit a half blood?"

Coeus paused, his silver hair ruffling in a passing breeze. "We are not sure, Your Lordship. ….. Without all the ichor, it would not keep crumbling. It would certainly kill them, but their body would remain intact, as it were."

Horror clouded the son of Apollo's thoughts. They still had Zeus. How could the rebels win without Zeus? If he was gone... and the others... Hermes and Nemesis, with whom he was on speaking terms. Gone. _Gone! _The thought sickened him. He realized he had come to like some of the gods as friends, not just rulers. How odd- how could you be friends with an immortal? He realized he didn't even hate Eden as much as he used to. How strange.

The sick grin was still on Kronos's face. "How many do you have?"

"We have but three or these _trat älenares (_trait el-e-nar-ay), Your Lordship. We have elected that you are to carry all of them, for you are the most likely to confront your sons."

_Or his granddaughter/great granddaughter._ Adam thought smugly. After the Maglev Incident three years ago, the gods (let by Artemis, who had anger, hatred and grief on her side; apparently Kronos had killed many hunters in past times. Not to mention the rape-and-murder of Arianna, which had left her particularly angry.) had attacked. They had all escaped intact, as had Kronos. It must have been quite a sight- the gods had also chosen to appear as wolves, undermining his advantage. Eden had had no trouble telling them apart in that form, or any; Artemis could appear as an ant and Adam suspected that she would still know her. It was uncanny.

Kronos nodded slowly. "I see. And has this been tested?" _Breath in, breath out. _The chant that Mary had drilled into them repeated in his head. It was insane that people had taken _classes_ to learn how to do it- but sometimes it worked.

Now was not one of those times. Because if he tried to meditate, he would die.

"Not yet, my lord. But in three weeks time, we will lead all the forces to Atlas's mountain, where Iris still holds the sky. We will test it there on Zeus."

_No. No this is not happening. _It was like his worst nightmare come to life- but now that he had this information, he couldn't be seen, or they'd change it. He kept himself frozen, plastered against the ceiling. _Don't move. Don't breath. Athena will have a plan. Athena always has a plan. This isn't lost. Pretend you're taking deep breaths. Freeze! _Garbled thoughts glugged through his head. _Thirteen years! You will not leave thirteen years of effort because of a mistake on you're part. Zeus. Not a muse, not a half blood, _Zeus._ The lord of the sky. DON'T MOVE!_

This was the information he had been waiting for. He couldn't shrink it up now.

After a couple more moments, the Titan's adjourned, sweeping from the room with many trumpet players and drummers marching with them. In the fanfare, Adam slid to the ground, sneaking out the door.

Then he ran, one thought blaring in his head over and over; _This is the end. _

O-o

"_Trat älenares"_ Eden murmured hollowly "Destroyer of the traitors is the exact translation. God destroyer. Fucking bullshit crap damn hunka screaming cluts spawn of ronoskay…" rapidly, she listed every cuss word dating back a thousand years. "Fuck fuck fuck." She slammed her hand on the table with each word.

Artemis, who would have usually chastised her for her language, stayed silent. Eden closed her eyes a moment, thinking. To Adam's horror, when she opened them they were glowing white. She had lost control.

"Eden!" Artemis said sharply, seeming to wake from a trance of horror. Eden pressed her lips together, and a muscle in her forehead throbbed. Slowly, the glowing receded, until her eyes were their normal angry grey-storm-cloud color.

Athena was the only one who kept her head. "This is going to be the end. You realize that, don't you?" _How ironic. I got their first. _Adam thought acidly, and she glanced at him, ammused. They all knew what she meant. The final battle. One that would determine if their thirteen years of work had been in vain.

Carefully, Eden ran her eyes down the line of gods. This didn't seem real. An hour ago, she wouldn't have dreamed it. This was a foolproof plan- There would be no way to get them back, as they had revived Kronos.

Hades sat at the far end, his black eyes expressionless. Next to him, Hera drummed her fingers quietly on the table. There was determination in her eyes. Poseidon was gazing far into the distance, as if he was trying to see the sea before The End. Apollo gazed at his son in silence. Hephaestus stroked the handle of his hammer, seeming unperturbed. Athena's grey eyes were narrowed; she seemed to be calculating the mass exodus of rebels. Hermes, George and Martha seemed to be having an internal counsel. Demeter was examining the knotholes in the wood table. Aphrodite was eyeing Adam and Rissa critically, while Eris frowned at her. Eden agreed. This was not the time.

And finally, Artemis. Eden's eyes slipped to the goddess next to her, swallowing. The goddess examined her likewise with her golden eyes.

When Artemis had been missing those dread seven years, it felt like she lad left part of herself with her. Her and Thalia and Laurel… but Artemis was the only one that might come back, and to that she had held her hope.

The thought of Artemis in eternal pain, with no way out like a mortal would have, was unbearable. Though it was useful, immortality was a curse.

Eden would rater die then have her leader and friend disintegrate.

Then again, that might be what it took.

O-o

_Duh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuuuuuuhhhhhh_.

What will happen? Will they die? will they live? Will any gods disintegrate into godly acid? There's only one way to find out! I'll be done within a couple weeks. Then I have an idea for another story. Maybe a serious edit of my first stories, and I'm thinking of a Thalia-non-Thluke story… cuz I'm sick of those 'Thalia forgives Luke and falls in love and pisses off Artemis' stories. They drive me _craz-y_.

O-o

**Jon Pierce- **Why thank you.

**Bubblegum11- **Yah, I wrote this story in my head a year before I found fanfiction. She just has issues, but it's useful.

**AllAmericanGirl- **Nothing much happened. I could have written about it, but it would be short. I tell you here. And I'm to impatient to get to the good stuff, which I have been waiting for all year.

**De Hunter- **oh, the horror! A typo! Will you ever forgive me? gets on knees and pleads. : ). Lol. Can you give me the sentence and I'll fix it when I get a chance.


	42. Chapter 42

**Only three more chapters after this one! Or maybe two. I haven't decided- it depends. This chapter is a little short. Deal. **

**O-o**

_The thought of Artemis in eternal pain, with no way out like a mortal would have, was unbearable. Though it was useful, immortality was a curse._

_Eden would rater die then have her leader and friend disintegrate._

_Then again, that might be what it took._

**O-o**

Eden grimly walked past a group of Spanish soldiers on break, crouched around a small portable screen.

One man on the screen, walking down the street, tapped a woman on the shoulder. "_¿Quiere usted tener relaciones sexuales conmigo?"_ (_Do you want to have sex with me?)_

Eden stared at them in disgust. "Yo no preguntaré."(_I'm not going to ask)_ They turned, blushing, and Eden saw they were no older then fifteen. "¿Cuán largo tiene quince año viejo sentado alrededor de mirar películas de pornografía en la interrupción?" (_How long have fifteen year olds sat around watching porn movies on break?)_

One of the boys flushed. "No es pornografía. Es justo una película." (_It's not porn- it's just a movie.)_

Eden raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Y ha llegado a ser común para personas para preguntar a extranjeros para el sexo? Patético." (_And it has become common to ask strangers for sex? Pathetic.)_

"Es ninguno de su buisness." One of the retorted, face glowing. Eden rolled her eyes, marching away across the green.

They were in the San Francisco base, along with all the other camps from around the world. Eden had never really gotten used to a white African delegation. Of course, all races were gone. They had blended together so thoroughly that you couldn't tell who was what, and she knew it was wrong to compare. But she couldn't ignore the times she grew up in, when _African_ meant _black._ She had never been racist- far from it- but it was... odd.

She squeezed between two Italians, working towards her cabin. She knew her time could be better spent training, but it wouldn't make a difference in her skills. she needed _quiet._

Slamming the door, she sank to the floor, closing her eyes. In a few minutes she would have to go out, be seen around, 'rally the troops'.

in a few days, they would leave, and storm Mouth Atlas. In a few days, many lives could be- would be- lost.

In a few days, the fate of the resistance would be decided.

O-o

Eden slowly moved down the line, organizing people into archers and calvary and ground fighters. Her eyes fell on a twelve year old with yellow blonde hair, who was looking scared and determined at the same time.

She paused. "Why are you fighting?" She demanded of the twelve year old. Hope pressed her lips together.

"This is as much my planet as it is yours. I've been in training since I was four. Is all that going to waste?" Eden smiled wryly. Hope sounded exactly like Eden at that age.

"_Non Edta."_ (_Don't die.)_ She murmured quietly, moving on.

O-o

"Twelve year olds. _Twelve_ year olds." Eden grimaced. Peter glanced out at the assembled army; though most were adults, it was true that there were many under fifteen. "If we practically _sacrifice_ them for our cause, we're no better than the Titans."

They were silent a moment.

"All to your ranks!" Gäldstrup ordered. Abruptly, Eden turned, hugging Peter tightly. She only went up to his shoulder now, much to her annoyance.

"In case we don't survive. I'm glad I knew you." Before Peter could do anything more then blink in astonishment, she had hurried across the green, positioning herself next to Artemis and the archers.

O-o

The small boy screamed as he was forced to his knees in front of a tall statue. He looked no older than five years old.

"NO! PLEASE!" He begged. The guard held him firmly by the neck.

"Oh great Lord Kronos. Help us in this battle. We are yours to command." The soldier raised the knife.

Eden looked away, tears in her eyes. There was nothing she could do for the child, no matter how badly she wanted to.

"This is what we are fighting." She said in a low voice to the archers around her, kicking the ground with the toe of her sneaker.

Uneasily, her gray eyes searched the sky, looking for the signal. Finally, a flicker of light came from the hills.

"_Maia!" _The others followed her cry. Eden followed Artemis and Apollo, drawing an arrow. Her breath seemed to freeze in her lungs, the night air pressing down upon her. She eyed their target; Zeus, chained in the center of a small bowl-like formation in the rocks.

"_Fire!"_ Artemis ordered. Seven hundred and seventy six arrows fell towards the array of monsters. Jason darted forward, hacking at his fathers chains while others blocked the archers. Bodies fell around them, as, with a fierce battle cry, Athena, Ares and Hephaestus lead the ground fighting.

The Calvary, led by Poseidon, swooped in from the sky.

Eden heard a growl from behind her, and she swung around, sword out, decapitating a hellhound.

It had begun.

O-o

**And…? Who will live? Who will die? There's only one way to find out! REVIEW!**

**Jon Pierce: **Is it blue yet?

**BookWormBandGeek: **Thanks! Of course, there's only, like, two chapters left. Finally!

**AllAmericanGirl; **Why, yes, it does. Lol.

O-o

**Coming soon:**

…?

You'll just have to read it!


	43. Chapter 43

**I am done! For about ten minutes I felt relieved, then I started biking to school. I always planned the next chapter when I was biking up the hills because it took my mind off feeling tired. Sometimes I automatically think 'Maybe Eden should-' or some reference, then remember that I'm done. Ah well. I have a new story in mind. **

**O-o**

_The Calvary, led by Poseidon, swooped in from the sky._

_Eden heard a growl from behind her, and she swung around, sword out, decapitating a hellhound._

_It had begun._

O-o

Lars.

She was going to kill him.

She was going to tear out his heart with a blunt needle and give it to the crows.

He would go to hell.

Because he didn't _really_ care for his cause; just the power that came with it.

He saw her at the same time, and is eyes narrowed. Eden just had time to dodge the spear he sent her way, and he only just managed to block her arrows.

"Damn you." He growled, drawing his sword. His was straight- lethal, with red flames flickering on it. There was a large, shiny piece of obsidian in the handle. Mirroring his movements, Eden drew hers- a mother of pearl weapon with a vine etched on it and a moonstone on the grip.

Red and white clashed as they struggled for position. He was bigger but she was quicker- and no blows met flesh for several long minutes.

"Got a new tail, Castellan?" Eden hissed, wincing at the slang. How anyone could insult something as useful as a tail, she didn't know.

He hissed at her.

Jumping nimbly up on a rock, she finally managed to look him in the eye. Murder was written in it, and her heart sped up. There was no escape here, on the field of battle. No reinforcements would chase her back to camp, no people she had to find. The rest of the battle seemed to fall silent, the clang of swords not making noise. There were just two people in t he world- Eden Emmerson and Lars Castellan. He swung his sword at her head, and she jumped backwards, landing again on the ground.

They proceeded in this why for a long time; centuries of practice could only equal any powers that Kronos had given his lieutenant.

Lar's feinted at Eden's head, and she jumped forward, driving her dagger into his armpit.

Blood squirted out, and his face twisted and pain. Lars's movements faltered, and with the other hand, she slammed her sword into his face.

_Wow. _

Thirteen years, and she had killed him in thirteen minutes. Arm trembling from the exertion, she lowered it, and Lars fell to the ground.

_Wow._

"Wow." Dawn materialized at her side, eyes alight. "I know it's perverse and sick to be happy right now. But… finally. I was coming to help, but you didn't need it."

Eden laughed quietly. "Yah. Don't die, okay?" Then she dropped to the ground as a hellhound lunged over her. Back to the fighting.

_That was for you, Ria. _

O-o

She was the center of a vortex. Hundreds of monsters surrounded her as she spun on one heel, sword and dagger out. But she couldn't hold them off forever.

_Yo. Need a hand?_ Smiling slightly, Eden shouted raised a fist. A white whip lashed around her, and the monsters were blown back about ten feet. Before they could recover, Eden shouted the word and her shoes took flight as she grabbed onto Gi's neck, swinging herself onto his back.

They shot up out of bows reach while Eden tried to calm down her heart.

"Thanks." Eden patted his neck, before sending a well aimed arrow into the masses below.

_Anytime._

Below them, Kronos and Zeus were fighting in the cove. A little ways off, Poseidon and Typhon were deuking it out- both in the form of overlarge octopi, with a dozen swords apiece.

She watched, horrified, as Kronos shoved his son away, pulling a small, six –inch-long-two-inch-wide missile from his armor, and flung it at Zeus fifteen feet away.

_NO!_

She didn't think. There wasn't time to think as she flung herself from Gi's back.

She had always thought that all her training was what would keep her alive. Now she realized it was what would kill her.

For she knew exactly what angle would make her fall faster or slower, exactly how to position her shield.

_Tell Dawn and the others I love them. _She told Gi.

His response was horror and grief, and a small spark of guilt flared in her chest. But even more guilt would be there if she left the King Of The Gods to his fate.

This was her fatal flaw.

Devotion.

She wondered if everyone learned their fatal flaw at death, or if it was just the circumstances. Not everyone died of their fatal flaw, after all. Just most. Just demigods.

The fall seemed to take eternity. She twisted, angling herself just right, all she ever learned about aerodynamics playing in her head.

Then she was there.

The explosion nearly burst her eardrums as she slammed into the rocky ground.

_**PAIN**_**. **

Someone had lighted her on fire. That must be it. For what else would cause this much agony? Rocks slammed into her back as she released her energy into her shield. Eden's body glowed white for an instant before it faded.

_**PAIN. **_

_Eden!_ It was Dawn. Dawn was hurtling towards her.

_**PAIN. **_

She tried to tell her it was too dangerous, to duck. But she couldn't. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Her vision was flickering. Eden had used all her energy. She was dying.

Dying. A relief from the pain, she welcomed it with open arms. Or would have if she could control her arms, anyway.

_**PAIN**_

At least she had killed Lars. At least Kronos would go soon. At least the world would live again. She remembered the feeling of severing his snake, his head, and smiled slightly. That was the least she could do for Dawn, for Jenna and Mary, for Chloe and Ari. For Peter and Greg- who had been her father more the Poseidon had ever been- and Julie and Hope. And Adam and Rissa. Dil and Derek. For Ferd and Tom. For the gods. For everyone she had left behind. Everyone who would miss her. Everyone who, once they too were dead, would seek her out and kick her butt.

_Take care of the hunt, Dawn. I love you. _She said finally, mustering up the none existant energy. That was what happened when she pushed the ability too far, the ability that was not god like nor titan like. She would never know what it was...

Her life didn't pass before her eyes; it was too long for that. She just held in her head an image of the person she mourned for; but she wasn't mourning her now. They would be together soon.

Smiling slightly, she let go, sinking into welcome darkness.

But not for long.

The pain was gone. The rocks had left her back. Slowly, she opened her eyes, facing the pearly gray gates of the Beyond.

**O-o**

**Don't kill me yet! Just… review. I'll post the next chap… when I feel like it. Lol. Maybe another today… or tomorrow. Just review. I'll post all my reasons later. And Eden will get a happy ending, too. Have no fear. **

**Jon Pierce- **Is it blue yet?

**BookWormBandGeek- **Well, here's you answer. You'll get all their endings by Tuesday.

**AllAmericanGirl; **Yep. It's been months since I've done several updates a day.

**O Wingless One; **Thanks. It turned out way differently then I'd planned it- I'd intended to spend more time on the Eden/Gäldstrup relationships, and the Eden/Jackie one, and the Peter/Adriana one. I'll put more details in my acknowledgements.


	44. Chapter 44

**You're lucky I'm not making this a whole day's post! lol. **

_Smiling slightly, she let go, sinking into welcome darkness. _

_But not for long. _

_The pain was gone. The rocks had left her back. Slowly, she opened her eyes, facing the pearly gray gates of the Beyond. _

_O-o_

_Dear Thalia,_

_I'm coming._

_-Eden_

_O-o_

**_MUHAHAHA! SUSPENSE! _**


	45. Chapter 45

**Don't kill me till you read my explanations at the end. **

**O-o**

_I'm coming._

O-o

Crazed with grief, Dawn stumbled down the walls of the bowl, rolling to a stop next to Zeus just as Eden hit the ground. Eden was _not_ going to die. There was still the same number of buzzes on the edge of her consciousness. Eden was alive. As she got to her feet, she froze.

Eden's shield had exploded. There were three big pieces spinning through the air, glowing white. As Dawn watched in shock- before Kronos could move, one struck him in the neck, on in the left arm and one in the right leg.

She watched as those body parts fell, and the metal pieces kept moving.

Atlas, who had been running to assist his master saw them coming and dove out of the way, slamming into Iris who struggled under the sky on the edge of the bowl. The goddess rolled, rolled, rolled down the hill, slipping to a stop at the bottom.

_Oh, Eden…_

Dawn didn't watch anything else as Eden's buzz faded, before growing stronger.

_Take care of the hunt. I love you._

_NO! Eden! You're not going to die. Hold on. I'm coming!_ But she knew her words were in vain. Eden was past being able to understand them. There was one stutter, and her buzz faded completely.

No. Five minutes ago, she was fighting a hellhound… she hadn't dreamed… she wanted to go back to five minutes ago… _Edie._

It wasn't real. All her memories of her friend shot through her head. Eden wouldn't give up. Eden _couldn't_ die.

_You thought the same about Thalia. What about lieutenants makes them seem infallible?_

She dropped to her knees next to Eden's body. She was covered in blood, and there was a gaping hole in her side. The back of her head was bleeding, staining the light hair that had come loose during The Fall.

There were several thuds, but she didn't look to see what they were.

_Eden. Eden. Eden. Edie. Eden. Edie. Edie. Edie. Eden._

O-o

Pain snapped at her insides, and the world became clear.

She had felt this pain at the death of Zoë, Thalia, now Eden. Every time, she was surprised at how much it hurt. Zoë had been with her for thousands of years, as had Thalia. Eden, though her lieutenantship was short livid, had risked everything fighting for them. And she had gotten used to the daughter of Poseidon's company for centuries before that.

Clutching at the newfound clarity, she flung her hunting knives, one after the other. The first hit Kronos's remaining leg, and he toppled. The second struck the stump of his neck, cleaving him in two.

Quickly drawing her dagger, she whirled around, taking off three of Typhon's arms. As the titan faltered, Poseidon moved in, his tentacles besting the others.

Artemis hurried across the bowl, watching as Dawn was joined by Jenna. She sank to her knees next to them. The battle was won. The hunters had lost.

O-o

Mary leaned against a tree, gasping for breath. Gingerly, she examined her leg.

A large cut had slashed across the top, maybe damaging the muscle. She could barely move it. She flicked her red brown hair back, gripping her dagger in case of attack, trying to ignore the pain.

But… what was going on? The Titan's army was running, running, running down the mountain like crazed goats. The Gods army was letting them pass.

Were they… deserting?

Before she could think any more, a agonized, crazed grief crossed the mental link. A buzz died out.

Her heart started racing. Who was it? Who had died? Oh, gods, not another. Who was missing?

Whoever was so upset was incapable of coherent thought. She was pretty sure it was Dawn.

_Dawn? Who is it?_ Tears formed in her eyes. Who had died? One of the hunters. Was it Chloe? Ari? Jenna? Eden?

Two figures were running towards her. Chloe and Ari. So they were alive.

Jenna, or Eden? Someone else's grief was coming through, but it was beyond words.

_Jenna or Eden? Jenna or Eden?_

The other hunters wove through the deserting soldiers, reaching the spot where Mary leaned against a tree.

"What's going on?" Mary whispered, not wanting to know the answer. "What's with the itanstay?"

Ari's face was expressionless. "They're deserting."

"Why?" She was stalling and they both knew it.

"Kronos fell. They're going home; no one is there to force them into service."

Kronos had fallen? A small joy glowed inside her. But she had to ask.

"Who is it?" She whispered, closing her eyes as Ari bound her wound.

"Eden." Chloe said softly, then burst into tears.

O-o

The hunters knelt at the bottom of the bowl. Jenna buried her face in Artemis's shoulder, shaking. Fourteen years ago, there had been ten hunters. Thalia had died. Laurel had been petrified. No one knew what had happened to Jess. Jackie had turned traitor. Ria had committed suicide. Now Eden…

There had been ten hunters. Now there were four.

Not one of them moved as the sun peaked over the horizon. They didn't look up as Peter joined them. A light shone brightly in Dawn's face, and finally she raised her eyes, watching the sunrise of a new age.

O-o

She had just enough time to take in the sights- the waving grass, the trees at the far end of the field, the waterfall behind her, and the vast ocean, before someone slammed into her so hard that she had to take a step backwards.

A smile- a real smile- spread across her face for the first time in thirteen years as she hugged Thalia back fiercely, laughing and crying all at once. "I missed you. But can you please let me breathe?"

Laughing too, Thalia released her. "I'm glad. Because if you didn't miss me, I'm afraid I'd have to hit you." A small group of people formed at the bottom of the waterfall.

Ria looked guilty as Eden tried to look at her sternly. But she could get answers later. They would have forever. Why taint this moment- the most perfect moment of her whole existence?

Next to Arianna there was a tall girl with straight brown hair. Laurel. Then Jessica. "What happened to you?" Eden whispered.

Jessica made a face. "Skeleton warrior thingy majig. Twelve of them. It so wasn't a fair fight. What took you so long, anyway? You died six weeks ago."

Six weeks? "There was a long line. So many people died…." She scanned the field for familiar faces, but her gaze froze on the water.

Her mother.

Emily Emmerson was standing in a boat a hundred and fifty meters away from her, waving. Smiling, Eden waved back, an uncontainable joy growing in her. Now that she looked, there were more famililar faces. Jason, son of Zeus was hang gliding over the river. And coming off the boat she thought she saw Dil and Lion's father, Amorillo. And more faces that she had just met, or had known for years.

"HEY! OVER HERE!" Thalia was jumping up and down, waving her arms. After a moment, two girls, a woman and a man appeared. The older of the two girls smiled at her. Her dark hair was pulled back into a braid, and she too wore a lieutenant band.

"Zoë Nightshade, two thousand and forty eight, dragon bite." She introduced herself. "You missed me by about… fifteen years?"

"So I heard." Eden said dryly. Of course she had heard of Zoë Nightshade.

Next to her, another dark haired girl introduced herself. "Bianca di Angelo. Twelve: Electrocution and a robot gone wrong."

Twelve. She had the bow and confidence of a hunter- she must have just joined, then. Bianca. She thought she remembered the name; maybe Thalia had mentioned her at some point. It was hard to remember so far back.

"I'm Percy Jackson." The man held out his hand, and she took it. "Seventy seven. Alzheimer's."

"That sucks." She realized that the man had almost the same expression as Peter. When she voiced that out loud, Percy smirked.

"You're serious? Poseidon named one of his kids _Peter Johnson_?" That was a common, ordinary name. So why were Percy and the woman cracking up? "Did Dionysus talk him into it?"

"I have no idea." She said cooly. "Dionysus lived at the Italian base in Pompeii."

"Figures." The woman muttered. She brushed her grey streaked brown hair over her shoulder; it looked like it had once been blonde. "Annabeth Chase Jackson, Seventy five, terrorist attack."

"I'm sorry." Eden shook her hand, too. Then she remembered. "We found your hat."

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "Where?"

"Labyrinth. It stank." They all cracked up.

Bianca groaned suddenly, glancing at Eden's lieutenant band. "I thought two lieutenants were bad." She shook her head mock-sadly. "But three?"

"Don't worry. Dawn will die someday and then there will be four." Thalia assured her mockingly. "And Eden? There is a Lila who wants you to visit her. She died at twenty five. Suicide bomber."

"Come on!" Ria tugged at her hand. "We have so much to show you." Eden smiled, glancing again at her mom. She would see her later; today, maybe, and every day… forever. She had eternity. She could see her mother. She could talk to Lila, Jason, Jack son of Kronos, and all those who had died. She would miss Peter, Greg, Dawn, Jenna, Chloe, Ari and Artemis later. But now, she would have time with them who she had missed so much.

She had forever, and nothing lasted that long. Peter and Greg would come first, and Dawn and the others later sometime.

Forever.

So, laughing, Eden went.

**THE END**

**(But there's still an epilogue!)**

**See, I was thinking about it, and realized that Eden would never be happy alive; she had lost most of her best friends. I thought it would be mean to make her live forever without Thalia and Ria, and I couldn't imagine her outliving Peter and Greg. So I killed her, and they will all be together again eventually; it was the happiest ending I could give her. I'll still be posting the index, acknowledgements, and maybe tell you what parts I cut in case you were curious. That will be done by the end of the week.**

**Jon Pierce; **Yes. This chapter is a figment of your imagination. Jk.

**De Hunter- **I don't know if it is longest on the archive, but it's long, I'll give you that. I thought I would be glad to be done, now I don't know what to think about to distract me when biking up hills. I'm planning another, but I don't know how it will compare…

**Lildm-** Skank? Did you seriously call me a skank? What the heck is a skank?

**Bubblegum11- **Beta is for when I have writers block. I'm planning another, but it's sort of depressing.

**Bookwormbandgeek- **Eden is dead.

**Musiclover- **I resent that remark. Here's your update. One more tomorrow.


	46. Epilogue

**Here is the epilogue I've been writing in my head for months. It tells pretty much what happened to everyone, and I'll post lists of the living and dead as well as acknowledgements, the index, and extras later. **

**O-o**

_She had forever, and nothing lasted that long. Peter and Greg would come first, and Dawn and the others later sometime._

_Forever._

_So, laughing, Eden went._

O-o

The four year old tugged at her fathers hand. "Come _on, _Dédé."

"I'm coming, Edie. Hold your horses." Peter assured her. His daughter giggled at the phrase; it was one he had learned from Eden.

"Did you know that guy?" His son, Jason, pointed at a statue of a man labeled _Yuni Kozulta_.

"No, he was from the Korean base. See the sign?"

Adrian laughed, glancing at him. The family made their way up the roads of Mount Olympus, occasionally stopped as Jason or Edie would point at one of the many statues lining the road, honoring all the people who had died in the resistance.

The nine muses prepared for a concert to honor the tenth anniversary of the Titan's defeat.

Finally, they reached the top. There, next to the Rebel Garden, was the statue, guarding the gate. Inside were the likeness of the other key resistors; the heads of base, the fallen hunters.

Eden had the same calculating look she had worn when she had died. Her marble hand curved around a marble bow, pointed in the air. She was riding an obsidian Pegasus.

_Is that supposed to be me?_ Gi asked, preening. _I like it._

Edie giggled.

The contrast of black on white was striking, as was the artist's attention to detail. Her face had not been freed of the scar from her time in the 'confinement center', and the fingernails looked chewed.

"Woah." Edie gazed up at the statue in wonder. "Was she really my aunt? She looks too young to be an aunt."

"Half aunt." Adrian corrected.

"Hey, Peter. Adrian. Edie. Jason." A young woman stood next them, her long blonde hair pulled back at the base of her neck.

"Heya Hope." Adrian said cheerfully. "How've you been?"

Hope shrugged. "All right. I told the sculptors that my mom wouldn't have wanted her statue to be any bigger then anyone elses. They didn't listen." She gestured to the garden.

Before she had time to say more, a steady thump of a fake foot warned them of the General's presence. Peter turned, smiling.

"Hey Greg. How are you?" It was starting to feel like a routine. The rebels could pop each other when ever they wanted, and some did, but others tried to move on, only sending out pops once a month or so.

"Eh. Gettin' around." He frowned at his fake leg. They had made it look like the rest of him, but it still made a dull clunking sound. His real one had been mutilated by a chimera. Peter laughed quietly.

"Fuck!" Exclaimed Jason. Peter turned, frowning, as Jason examined what had been his ambrosia-on-a-stick.

"Great lords above, Peter. What have you been teaching them?" Greg chided.

"You know what it means?" Jason looked impressed.

"Hud I know what it means. Eden said it nearly every-" The general fell silent.

"Single day of The End. Usually. Lighten up, Greg. Hardly anyone knows what it means..." The sunlight glinted off Dawn's lieutenant band as she and the others gazed up at the statue. "Hi, Peter. Hi Adrian. Edie. Jason. Greg. Hope."

"Are you really seven hundred and fifty?" Edie demanded. Dawn smiled.

"Fifty one last week, actually."

"Happy birthday." Peter muttered.

"Did you really know her?" the four year old waved a hand at the statue. Pain crossed Dawn's face.

"Yes."

"Did she ever smile?" Probably she was thinking about the picture that was on their screen of Eden stringing her bow and frowning at the camera while Peter snickered.

Dawn didn't answer. Finally, Mary spoke up. "There wasn't a lot to smile about, Edie."

Silence.

"Can I be immortal, too?" Now it was Peter's turn to look pained. His daughter, leave him, forever? joining the hunters and not being allowed to visit? Mary hunkered down, looking Eden Johnson in the eye.

"You could, but your Dédé probably wouldn't like that too much."

"Why?"

"Because you'd have to leave him."

Edie looked grave. "Oh."

There was a series of clangs, as Adam and Rissa appeared, their seven year old son Injo in tow. He was clanging together a set of cymbals with the Olympian symbol- the gods symbols of power arranged in a circle- on them.

"Stop it, Inj!" Adam ordered. Injo stopped for aproximatly thirty seconds, then started up again.

"Look, Dé!" Jason came running back from a stall, waving his screen. "I got a download of that picture you've got. And his painting!" He pointed at Adam.

Peter glanced at the pictures as they played on his son's screen. _The Council, _a painting by Adam, showed the early days of the resistance; Eden, standing, hands on her hips, while a fourteen year old Adam was leaning forward on the table, also standing. Clearly they were arguing. Greg was standing, hand raised, trying to stop them. Julie was sitting with a hand on her pregnant stomach. Ferd gnawed on a two-by-four, Peter- age twelve- was rolling his eyes, and Tom was drumming his fingers on the table impatiently. Rissa had her hand on her sword.

Julie. Eden. Ferd. So many of them had not survived.

Artemis laughed quietly, looking over Peter's shoulder. "Nice." Adam looked pleased with himself.

"Yah, you really caught the mood." Greg smirked. "At least you grew out of it eventully."

"_She_ didn't." He muttered, smiling slightly. "_Stop that right now!_"

Inj stopped clanging the cymbols.

The sun peaked over the horizon, bathing the statue in a rosy light. The small group grew larger as other ex-rebels arrived, exchanging greetings, lamenting the loss of friends and loved ones.

The Olympian anthem played behind them.

And so life went on.

O-o

**Wow. I couldn't believe it when I finally typed 'The End' on this. It's been so long… Miss ya, Eden! (And Greg. I like Greg.)**

**I have a new poll in my lookup! Please check it out!!**

**O-o**

**BookWormBandGeek- **I know. Isn't it pathetic when the best thing you can do for your characters is kill them?

**Bubbmegum11- **Yah. It's worst for them. Eden will see Gäldstrup and Peter within a few decades. The Hunters will have to wait awile. It's worst for Artemis, b/c she never sees her hunters again.I was planning on killing Mary, but couldn't make myself. (For my next story, the hunters have _way_ cooler names.)

**MusicLover- **I still can't think of you as American girl. Anyway, Thanks!

O-o

**WHY DID I ONLY GET 3 REVIEWS? IT WAS THE MOST REVIEWABLE CHAPTER IN THE WHOLE F-ING STORY!! : ) **


	47. Acknowledgements

**Acknowledgements; **

I want to thank…

Bubblegum11 and Jon Pierce, for reviewing nearly every chapter in every story I've ever written. Thanks!!

Lildm, BookWormBandGeek, De Hunter, T'BD'A, Musiclover (alias AllAmericanGirl) Sa Rat, moonray, guess0my0name, and all my other devoted reviewers.

Also, thanks to my very through beta Psycho Girl, who reviewed two chapters. I'm sure they were the best in the story.

And thanks to Honest101, for reading the first half and actually giving constructive critics and sometimes- gasp- compliments and 'not bads'. Take _that,_ Honest101 haters!

And thanks to, of course, Rick Riordan for writing the book that this is based off of, and A.L Finch (_Child P.O.W_) for more information on life in prison camps, though it was only in one chapter.

And to my dreams, because that was where I got the Jackie-Is-A-Traitor idea… sometime really stupid about an escaped roller coaster car, running to a train track in a dried up prairie-forest, and a hunter deserter named Shelby that happened months before I started writing this story… I wrote it in my head before I ever heard of fanfiction, only with harry potter characters. I killed most of them. (I have no idea where the name Shelby came from.)

**Original version;**

In the original outline…

-There was more emphasis on the Eden-Jackie relationship  
-There was more emphasis on the Eden-Greg relationship,  
-Greg died at the battle of Pike Place, but I couldn't make myself kill him.  
-Arianna get pregnant (in the roughest of rough drafts. I decided it was too much.)  
-Eden snuck out to rescue Ria  
-There was a miniplot about a family in a prison camp  
-There was more about Lars, whom I really liked. Ah well. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.  
-Eden survived  
-There was more about Peter and Adrian  
-Eden took a pill, Dawn and The Gang rescued her, and she almost died  
-Both Adam and Rissa died  
-Lars survived in a jail being tortured into insanity  
-Edie Johnson hid in the bottom of the pond at school during math class, and wanted to bring her grandpa in for show and tell.

**Since I couldn't work it in, here are more through descriptions of Peter's kids;**

Edie- named after -no freaking duh- Eden, she is t 3' 1", has black hair that is down about an inch past her shoulders. She has slightly brown skin (Adrian is 1/34 latino, but again the races are so mixed up you can't put anyone into categories.), freckes and a round face. Her eyes are green, and her left eyebrow is a little thinner then her right. She sucks her thumb.

Jason- Named after Jason Son Of Zeus, who was one of Peter's good friends though I couldn't work that in anywhere, is four feet four inches. He keeps his hair slightly shaggy, because his ears are slightly too big and he hates it when they stand out. He has the same coloring as Edie, and is the fastest swimmer in his class. He flaunts his ability to stay under water for long periods of time, though he and Edie cannot say under forever. He is a bit of a show-off, and he bites his nails.

**THERE IS A NEW POLL ON MY PAGE. CHECK IT OUT!!**

I'll be posting the index next chapter.

Thanks again, and be sure to put me on alerts for my next story; I'm missing some plot, though.

Happy reading, and I hope to hear from you again soon!

storm-brain

(p.s. feel free to review this chapter, too!)


	48. Index

I won't post major plots/suprises in here, just tell you each new theme or event because this story is so long. I just took out the main events- there are smaller ones.

Chapter 1 – Come on. Anyone can read chapter one. You find out the state of the resistance, and learn the names of the main characters…

Chapter 4- Rebels crash a criminal execution

Chapter 5- Julie has a baby and they plan an attack on Pike Place Market

Chapter 6- They rescue a god from Othrys

Chapter 12- They get word of Titan movement towards their New England camp- they lose it, but send aid to them via labyrinth

Chapter 18- Eden gets caught by the Titans. (Many plot twists!)

Chapter 34- They attack a prision camp,

Chapter 36- The Titans manage to start starving the resistance

Chapter 38- Eden collapses a building (on accident) and her, Greg, Dawn, Peter and Derek get trapped on a train with Kronos.

Chapter 41- The beginning of The End. Final battle, character deaths, and all that. The _good _part.

**And who voted for Viagra as their favorite character? lol.**


End file.
